Let Me In
by Kitiara-chaa
Summary: Igarashi Tora had always done his duty as the heir and son of the Igarashi Group. He knew what he had to do, and he was good at it, despite a few underhanded tactics. Nevertheless, it was a job and task he fell readily in to. It was his choice, which was more then what Hanazawa Miru could say for herself. At the very least, he had a choice. What choice did she have? [Tora/OC]
1. Chapter 1

_"I don't-"_

 _"It isn't your choice to make, Miru. Attend Keio University, and make as many relations as you can there. It is the only reason why I agreed to care for you."_

 _"... Yes, Father."_

* * *

Dark haired, pale skin, short stature and usually seen in shorts and a shirt, the only thing that sets Hanazawa Miru from the rest of Japan's girl's is the fact that she has a pair of glittering blue eyes, the only clue that her mother had been of British-descent.

The mother that she cherishes more then life itself.

For Hanazawa Cheryl, Miru would do anything her father asks of her, even if she preferred something other then cracking numbers and figuring out how to milk people of their hard-earned money all day.

But it wasn't as if she had a choice.

"I'll just make the best out of it... like I've always had to do." the girl murmured, pushing her dark hair out of the way as she paced alongside the new freshmen's in the orientation for their new year. The first day of the term was due to start the following Monday, which was about 3 days away, and while Miru wasn't particularly excited about attending Keio in the first place, even she was beginning to feel a mild sense of exitement as she looked at the vast hallways, the classrooms that looked very different from her high school arrangements, the large courtyards, the evident freedom they had in school.

"Igarashi-sama! Good morning. You're just in time for the orientation! Please, do join in the tour we're taking of the campus." The sudden bright jovial attitude of their previously surly campus tour guide surprised Miru, making her blue eyes shoot upwards, and then raised a brow at his words. Just in time? They've been in orientation since 8AM, and it was currently near lunch time. How was that 'just in time'?

Glancing at the supposedly 'just in time' male, a frown furrowed the pint-sized girl's brow. Somehow, his yellow-brown eyes and pale hair seemed familiar to Miru, yet even as she wracked her brain, she couldn't seem to pla- Ah! Igarashi, was it? It was one of the names on Father's list, as far as Miru remembered. Something about him and the Igarashi Group.

Oh, that Igarashi Group? Miru gave an internal groan as she knew she was going to have to 'make relations' with him soon. Every cell in her body rebelled against it, but she knew she had little choice in the matter. 'But the first day is too early to begin, right? I have four years in this god forsaken place anyway.' The girl comforted herself as the tour started on again.

Listening quietly as the guide started droning about places and locations, the girl suddenly jumped when she felt a tug at her hair, and Miru immediately shot a glare which turned in to a look of surprise when it was that same guy who was 'just in time' standing behind her with a bored expression. "And I thought I could've came just in time to attend lunch and get my classes before I can leave. Any idea how long more this is going to take?" he asked in a tone that sounded as bored as he looked, grating against Miru's nerves. He already came late, and now he was complaining? Did the guy not have any gratutude for life at all?

"You're going to have to wait, just like the rest of us." she replied with a firm tone, even if she knew she was probably going to regret it. The Igarashi guy seemed presistent though, for he yanked at her knitted cardigan this time, illiciting a squeak from Miru as she stumbled and this time gave a full on glare at him. "What's your problem?!"

"At the very least, tell me where the cafetaria is? I'll go there and wait while the rest of you continue this pointless nonsense."

"If you want to know, come early next time. Things aren't going to be handed to you on a silver platter, Igarashi-sama. Your family name won't get you everywhere."

 _Bad move Miru, really bad move. This isn't going to get you anywhere_. Nervous thoughts popped in to her head, and at that split second the girl fervently hoped her father would never hear about her insolence before the first day of university even started. But the girl was stubborn, and refused to show regret at her words. As such, Miru's features remained steadfastly pissed off as she continued her glare at the pale haired male, scowling at him as she spoke. "We'll finish in about an hour or so." Miru finally muttered, turning on her heel and scurrying away, just missing the sly, amused smile that curled the lips of one Igarashi Tora.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hanazawa? Why have I not heard the name before?"

"Actually, you have." Maki replied with a roll of his eyes and an amused cock of his brow. Tora would always be so ignorant of the small players within the large world of business in Japan, but he always manages to surprise Maki by being able to mingle so well no matter who it was. It was a lucky thing that he liked the business, but Maki couldn't help but marvel at how lucky Tora's father was when his only heir actually _liked_ the idea of taking over, which was more then he can say for himself, for sure.

"I have?" Came Tora's surprised response, whilst he absent mindedly played with the collar of his shirt. They were freshmen, so coming to a school building while not in uniform felt a little out of place for the two former Miyabigaoka students. Plus, they no longer had the title of _'Chairman's Son'_ or _'Biggest Monetary Contributer's Son'_ , which made them feel even more foreign. Unlike in their high school, Keio University was neutral ground, and for the first time, the two rich son's felt like they were on common ground.

Sure, a few of the lecturers actually knew them, but for the large part because most of the lecturers were big on knowledge and couldn't bother with the political and complicated world of business connections, Tora and Maki were not as influential here. They were the odd ones of their group of friends, most of which had decided they could just step in to their parent's offices. Tora's father however, was firm in his belief that his son needed to get the full education, and as he was young yet, he had decided before he even graduated that Keio was his university. Maki just followed suit, having not much of a plan himself.

"Yes you have. But perhaps the name Hanazawa Jin may ring more of a bell?"

"Oh! Hanazawa Wholesale, the company that does Japan exports and trading?"

"Correct! That's her father, her name is Hanazawa Miru." Maki grinned, turning his laptop around to show Tora the few pictures of her at the Hanazawa family functions. While they are not one of the biggest exporting companies within Japan, the name was still fairly notable. "That's all you found?" Tora asked in surprise, his brows furrowing when he saw the grainy pictures of the dark haired girl, as compared to the more focused ones on her father and a taller girl who looked too young to be her mother next to him.

Maki nodded with a rueful look. "There isn't much information on her, nor on who the Hanazawa family matriarch is for that matter. Most of it pertains to the father, and his eldest daughter Hanazawa Riyo."

"None of that explains her blue eyes, Maki."

"You noticed her blue eyes?" For the first time in a while, Igarashi Tora has managed to catch Maki by surprise, as the best friend-cum-butler stared at his companion in surprise. Realizing his little slip up, Tora tried to cover up with an annoyed scowl, glaring at Maki. "It's hard to miss when it's shooting icicles at you, plus it's not usual for a Japanese to have blue eyes. What kind of a socialite would I be if I missed that type of detail?"

"Sure, of course." The other replied, yet the amusement and fascination was still clearly displayed in his tone, to which Tora huffed and slammed the laptop shut as he grabbed his bag. "You're annoying. Let's go, we're going to be late for class."

"Since when do you care about being late for class?" the small-eyed male replied, picking up his bag and device, and then grinned as he fell in step behind Tora. "Was that why you told me to enroll you in this class? As far as I know she-"

"Shut up, Kanade!"

* * *

The rumble of students echoed like a far storm as Tora entered the hall, chatter of students filling the beams. Easily finding a seat towards the back of the lecture hall, the pale haired male slide in after Maki entered first, just as everyone scrambled for their seats when the balding professor walked in for their first lecture 'Management & Strategic Consulting'.

Carefully arranging his face in to a bored expression, Tora surveyed the class and surprised himself when he realized that the class was mostly full. Was everyone so studious when they got to university, or was it just this university in particular?

And where was she?

Sure he was seated at the back of the hall, and one could argue that he couldn't possibly know someone just from the back of their heads, but even if Tora would vehemently deny the statement, he had made a sweep of the class in search for a pair of familiar blue eyes and heart-shaped face when he entered, to no avail. And even now, he could not find that black head… even if there were many other black haired females in class.

"Are you sure you got the right class, Maki?" Tora hissed with a sideways glance at his friend (surprised that he too had a notebook out as the professor started his lecture. Maki gave an offended look to Tora. "Of course I did, have I ever got any of your instructions wrong before?"

True enough, the Igarashi heir conceded silently and made no reply. Kanade Maki was known for his efficiency and accuracy in his job, which was why they had always worked in partnership with the Igarashi Group, and why Maki and Tora had practically grew up as best friends together. Maki was perhaps the only one Tora truly cared about and would look out for.

But still… if he didn't get it wrong, then did _he_ get it wrong?

The door suddenly creaked open in the middle of something about differences in culture and understanding it, revealing a huffing Hanazawa Miru, a little mortified for having to walk in under the eyes of the whole class. Her surprise and mortification was obvious as she stiffly walked in, bowed deeply with an audible apology before hurrying up the platform towards the last row where Tora and Maki were at, the only available row with seats left.

Despite their rough altercation the week before at orientation however, Tora realized with amusement that she barely even looked at him as she slid in to the bench next to him, a light sheen of sweat covering her forehead. "I'm surprised someone like you would be late. What was it again… my family name won't get me anywhere? Were you hoping that the professor would wait for you to start class because of yours, Hanazawa-san?" Tora snidely commented as the professor started his lecture again.

Almost immediately, the mortified look of embarrassment Miru had been wearing before transformed to one of aghast irritation, as she turned yet another glare to the Igarashi heir, scowling. "I did not! I just happened to wake up late!"

"Oh? For the first day of school? My my, is that something that happens often in high school,Hanazawa-san? No wonder, it must be a hard habit to kick." Tora egged on, his amusement at Miru's obvious displeasure of him shown in his twinkling brown eyes when she spoke again.

"I do not! I just-" Miru paused, reminding herself that she was in the middle of class. With a quick glance at the large board on the teacher's platform, she gave one last look at Tora, before pointedly ignoring him and pulling her second-hand laptop out of her bag and settling in her seat. "I have no interest in proving any point with you, Igarashi-sama. Say what you like, I'm actually here to attend class, not have a debate with you."

A little surprised by her reaction, for quite a while, Tora had no response and could only sit and stare as her fingers swiftly flew across the keyboard. Unable to resist looking at the screen, his brief glance surprised him with her precise note-taking and various shorthands across the screen, which… oddly reminded him of Maki's own screen.

Reminded of his best friend, he looked to his right and sure enough, Maki too had a document folder opened up with row after row of words typed neatly in to short hands and notes, with a notable bit more then Miru on his left, since she came later. Yet for once, the loyal Kanade heir was smirking at Tora instead of paying attention, to which the taller male scowled in his embarrassed discomfort, shying away from eye contact whilst he fiddled with his books. "What is it?" he hissed away from Miru's earshot.

"It's a… very familiar way of dealing with someone, the way you spoke with Hanazawa Miru."

"What do you mean, Kanade? I speak like that to everyone." Tora muttered defensively, to which Maki rolled his eyes before he retorted. "Not to everyone, Tora. Not to me, when I first started being your friend. And not to Ayuza-"

"Shut up, Kanade." Tora muttered, cutting him off.

"To you? Sure." Maki replied. Before Tora could even figure out what his best friend even meant, an alarmed look quickly crossed his face as Maki reached over and addressed the dark haired female on his left before he could even say a word. "Hanazawa-san? I'm Kanade Maki. You came late, so you missed some notes earlier. Would you like it? I have it right here."


	3. Chapter 3

The previously silent hallway now filled with echoed footsteps and chatter as students filed out from their class. Whether or not they were discussing the lecture that had just ended, Miru wasn't too sure, but she for one knew that she got quite a bit out of it. She had been worried as she dashed to the school that day, having been held back a little from doing her usual morning routine, but breathed easier when she realized the professor was still doing introductory stuff (she can catch up later, if its just basic stuff), when she more or less disrupted class with her entrance.

But her greatest mortification was realizing the only seat left was next to Mr. In Time from the orientation… not that Miru had much of a choice by then.

Meekly taking a seat next to him, the dark haired female had been prepared for a class of silence (there goes her hope of making friends on the first day of class!), yet was pleasantly surprised when the guy _next_ Mr. In Time (what was his name again?) started talking to her, and even offered her notes. The notes had been greatly appreciated by Miru, as she made a mental note to go through them later.

"Thank you again, Kanade-san, for the notes that you gave me." Miru offered her thanks as they packed their bags and exited the class together. In return, the male gave a smile. "It's my pleasure…?" he trailed off meaningfully, and Miru startled at her lack of manners before quickly offering. "Hanazawa Miru."

"Didn't I tell you to shut up, Kanade?" a short-fused voice piped up behind them, and both turned in surprise to see a dark faced Igarashi Tora trailing behind them, not used to not being the one in the limelight for once. Kanade gave an amused smile, but Miru was the complete opposite of that, an angry scowl on her face as she snapped back "Watch your manners. How many times must I remind you that your family name won't get you anywhere here… er.."

This time, Miru was the one who trailed off, but one more of sheepish lack of knowledge then anything, which didn't escape the notice of the other two. Tora was aghast, but Maki was tickled to his bones as he let out a burst of laughter and surprise. "Oh my goodness, for the first time ever, someone has forgotten Igarashi Tora's name within a day." Maki murmured between laughter, which only earned him a deadly glare from his best friend.

"Not funny, Maki." He muttered, before turning his gaze to Miru, walking closer with a dark scowl and a furious fire burning in his eyes. "And you, try and stay out of my way. My family name may not be anything in the university, but at the very least it's worth more then yours outside in Japan."

"Luckily for me, Igarashi-sama, I don't need my family name to do anything. Neither do I intend to rely on it, not like you." Miru retorted with a firm tone, fiercely steadfast and a stubborn grip in her jaw. But what surprised Tora the most was the independent fire burning softly within that gaze that he would deny before admitting it was completely enrapturing.

"Whoever said anything about relying on family name?" was the only response he could come up with. Miru scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You dare tell me you were not? You, who take advantage of people fawning over you to waltz up late and even have the audacity to want to skip orientation? I'm surprised you're even here for class."

"Actually, I'm surprised at that too. I would've thought he would skip the year, actually." Maki spoke up, and Miru grinned at him, and then turned a raised brow at Tora. "So, Igarashi-sama, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"The way I do things is my business, and is not up for dictation. And I'm no longer wasting a single second on you. C'mon Maki, let's go to our next class."

"Actually, we have the next class together with Hanazawa-san, I think. Cultural Studies?" Maki directed his question to Miru, and a look of surprise flashed in her blue eyes when she noticed that indeed, their schedule was almost the same much to her horror.

"How in the world…"

"Rare occurrence, but maybe it's also just luck." Maki replied.

"Good or bad luck, I'm not too sure." Miru murmured in reply. She liked Kanade Maki's company alright, he was an easy going, friendly guy who seemed genuine in making friends. Pity to say she couldn't say the same regarding his friend though. Heaving a heavy sigh, she stuffed her folder shut and hugged it to her chest before making her way down to the hallway. "Can't be helped I guess. I'll make sure to stay out of your way, Igarashi-sama. My _small_ family name must be such an irritant to you."

Tora scowled as Maki began to walk with her towards the next class, yet all he could do was stuff his hands in to his pockets and began walking behind them. How dare that little devil imply that he could only succeed with his family's help? Tora knew well enough regarding his capabilities. His father is willingly handing the business to him… but how dare she.

The anger simmered in Tora throughout the second class, in which he barely paid attention as he looked at Maki and Miru exchanging notes throughout the class, occasionally sharing a conversation. His irritation only built, and he had half a mind to ignore them when lunch time came, yet this being the first day of class in university, Tora had no one else to go to and god forbid he had to eat lunch himself.

As such, he could only stoically eat his grilled fish mackerel lunch set, scowling as Maki and Miru returned with their own trays of lunch and slide in to the bench he was occupying. "Ah, having lunch like the rest of us? I would've expected a 5-star hotel to come and serve you, Igarashi-sama."

"Enough!" Tora snapped, slamming his half-eaten bowl of rice on the table and glaring at Miru now. Apparently his loud voice had shocked her in to silence, and for the first time Tora noticed she had nothing to say, giving him a wide eyed stare. "I'm here on my father's orders, but I do my job in the Igarashi Corporation. What I do, and how I do it, is not up for discussion, and certainly not for you to pry, Hanazawa Miru."

Pushing away from the table, Tora stalked off, leaving his half-eaten lunch on the table and a rather guilty looking Miru recovering from her shock to give Maki an uncertain look. "Did… I go too far?" she finally asked, biting her lips. Maki stayed silent, considering his answer for a bit before he spoke. "Maybe… a little. Tora may be his father's son, and yes his name has a lot of weight behind it. But he truly does live up to the name. He single handedly handled the merchants and livelihood of the students in Miyabigaoka as student council president for 2 years. Tora is… a very capable man. He is only here because his father wants his higher education to be completed, otherwise he is fully able to take over the company by now."

Listening to all of that, Miru suddenly lost all appetite to eat, as she began to realized she had committed the grave error of judging a book by its cover, a bad habit she cultivated from years of being raised in the Hanazawa family, yet never truly being accepted, always on the fringes of their world.

"I… Why does he try to pull his weight in name then?"

"He's just lazy, sometimes. But I can't really blame him. He has a lot to do on top of school work, and because the work for the company involves the dignity of his family name, he does prioritize that over schoolwork. It's why he doesn't put much value in to school, sometimes."

Miru furrowed his brow. In a way, what Maki made sense, yet she didn't agree with his sidelining school work. Even so however, she still recognized her mistake and the guilt that plagued her conscience. A sideways glance made that guilt grow when she realized he didn't even manage to finish his lunch before storming off.

"I'm sorry Kanade-san! I'll look for him now to apologize. Thank you so much for explaining things to me, and also for accompanying me for lunch!" Miru pushed away and gave a bow to Maki, dashing off before Maki could even say anything.

The male looked at the slight sized girl run out of the cafeteria, and then gave a grin. "Good luck Tora, you're going to need it. But good job."

* * *

Tora scowled as he kicked wandered in to one of the many hidden alcoves in the Keio campus building. With most people concentrated in the cafeteria at lunch time, the hallway was deserted… which was what Tora needed to cool off. He haven't been in such a bad mood for a long time, having mellowed down since his days at Miyabigaoka, especially after giving Misaki and Usui his help and seeing how Usui's mellow persona helped a lot in getting out of their predicament.

As his father's representative and diplomat of sorts, the cultivated air of calmness had also helped greatly in his discussions, and of that he thanked Usui greatly. While they still bickered like age old enemies, he now considered Misaki and Usui his close friends, and occasionally traded emails with them, especially now that both were no longer within the country.

But if he could be so calm with Usui of all people… why was someone as pint sized as Hanazawa Miru stirring his anger? He shouldn't even care if she viewed him as a good-for-nothing father's leeching son. Why did he feel angry… and was he hurt by his accusation?

' _No, of course not. She's just irritating, jumping to assumptions when it's just her first day of knowing me.'_ Tora internally convinced himself. Staring at the red-bricked wall, the heir of Igarashi Corporation scowled again. He did _not_ depend on his father's name. A girl's opinion of him changes nothing. Her opinion of him doesn't matter at all.

Does it?

The hands stuffed in his hoodie pockets clenched, because as much as Tora would like to deny it, those blue eyes intrigued him, to a point that he was indeed quite concerned on her opinion. But why bother explaining to her if she already had such set views of him? "Waste of my time. Women are too judgmental." Tora muttered. It was why he was so attracted to Misaki in the first place. She was direct, genuine… like what Hanazawa Miru had displayed the whole time. But why couldn't she be all of that without a heaping dose of accusation?

Wallowing in his own thoughts, Tora didn't even notice footsteps running up, not until a loud call of "Igarashi!" echoed in the empty hallway, surprising him as he looked up, and scowled when he recognized the long hair, and the black hoodie pulled over a white shirt and almost covering the denim shorts she wore.

"Igarashi, wait!"

"Do I look like I'm going anywhere?" he snapped back, a permanent black look on his face when she ran up, her face flushed from running as she panted. Goddamn her and that flush, why did it have to make her pale features even more enticing with those rosy cheeks? "What do you want? More humiliation on my end? Then get it over with and get lost." His briskness was partially due to him still not knowing how to deal with her, but Tora regretted it immediately when a look of guilt immediately washed over her face.

Even if she probably deserved it, Tora didn't like to see that downtrodden look, not compared to the face that was full of life and her own drive to see the world as she argued with him.

"No! I didn't- I just… I wanted to give this to you." Miru trailed off, and instead of explaining, extended a hand out to him, surprising him when he found a packaged onigiri. It was like any other onigiri you could find in convenience stores everywhere in Japan, yet somehow Tora was a little… touched?

Pride played a bigger part in his life though, and as much as his fingers itched to take it, Tora's lips were set in a hard line as he took a step back. "I can get that anywhere. Besides, like you said, I'm used to eating in 5-star restaurants, no?"

"Look, I-I'm sorry alright. I shouldn't have accused you of all of that without asking first. Yo…You're here of your own accord, no 5-star restaurant or a slew of bodyguards needed." She gulped, taking a step forward before turning a firm gaze to Tora again, that look that made it seem as if she was ready for fight rather than flight.

That same gaze that Tora met head on with a challenge, a gaze that sparked a fighting spirit in him, drawing a smirk that cocked his lips upwards. "I'm truly sorry, Igarashi Tora. But we have a whole day of classes, and it won't do you any well since you didn't finish your lunch."

"Ah?" his tone was now lighter, much to Miru's relief, and she smiled too as she saw the smirk he wore whilst he plucked the onigiri from her grip and unwrapped it. "But since you ran here…" he took a bite, before continuing. "You wouldn't have had your lunch either, would you?"

"Oh, er…well…" a sheepish look creeped in to Miru as she realized what she had done, and the girl shrugged as she ran a hand through her dark hair. "I'll go back and finish it now?"

"Interesting, you got me umeboshi flavor. With so many flavors available, people rarely take the orginal one."

"Well, I like things as they were made. There had to be a reason why that was the very first flavor it came with. I like to think they taste the best." Miru explained, and when Tora looked at her, he was taken aback by the friendly…. Almost sweet smile she wore whilst she spoke, quite unlike the defensive look he had always been given. So taken aback, he was lost for words, to a point where Miru shifted uncomfortably on her legs, and quickly took a step back. "I-I'll go back to finish my lunch now. I'll see you at our n-"

Not giving her a chance to finish her words, Tora grabbed her arm and yanked her towards the wall. Miru's blue eyes widened as she was pressed against the cold, red-bricked surface, one arm pinned by the taller male's very firm grip, breathe stolen from her as he stepped closer to her.

"Hmm, should I accept your apology though?"

"You already took the onigiri! That should be a sign of acceptance." Miru argued, momentarily forgetting the position she was in in favor of her indignance. The display of aghast anger had Tora laugh, a deep rumble that made a shiver run up Miru's spine as she felt his breathe against her collarbone.

"I prefer this form of apology though." Came his soft voice, and without any warning, Miru suddenly felt a warm pair of lips press against hers.


	4. Chapter 4

The afternoon was a cool one, which resulted in many students opting to bring their work out to the courtyard, lounging on the carpet of grass as laptops were propped open and books strewn across the ground whilst they took a chance of the rare, cooling weather in the midst of the oppressive humidity so common to Japan in the month of July.

The summer term had just begun for a week, but already the stress of tertiary education was beginning to settle in even for the freshmen. As it was, Miru was frantically rifling through her papers as her Word document opened on the loaned laptop from the library. The blinking page was beginning to stress her out, as she was stuck on her latest assignment due the following week.

Of course, the very fact that her mind was highly distracted did not help matters.

Try as Miru might to push it out of her mind, the pair of soft lips was a feeling tough to dismiss. _'Hanazawa Miru, you're doing it again. Knock out of it!'_ the girl internally scolded herself when she realized she was wallowing in the memory again. Shaking her head violently, her lips was set in a stubborn line as she pulled out another book, but jumped in surprise when a hand suddenly clasped over her shoulders.

Jumping backwards and almost falling on her back, the girl breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Kanade's friendly smile, and relaxed her body as he took a seat next to her. At the same time, Miru couldn't help but to give a nervous look around him, but was surprised to find Maki quite alone. "He's busy helping his father prepare a big pitch for their American partner at the end of this week." Maki automatically answered, making Miru flush as she nervously pretended to look at her notes. "What are you talking about?" came her nervous question, yet a deaf person could hear the flustered tone in her question, bringing an amused smile to Miru's lips.

"You're looking for Tora, weren't you?"

"No I wasn't!" Miru vehemently denied, yet couldn't resist a continuation of her sentence "Is that why he hasn't been around all week?"

Maki nodded an affirmative to her question, and almost immediately a frown appeared on her brow. "Kaji-sensei gave us that assignment on Friday, and he wasn't around either. It's due in another 4 days… would Igarashi have time to finish it?"

"I don't think he cares, really." Maki off-handedly replied, only to lean backwards as Miru retorted quickly and in a dangerous tone , "How could he not! Did you at least tell him its due, Kanade-san?"

"I did drop him a mail, but he only responded saying he wouldn't be coming for classes till next week." Maki shrugged with his reply, all the same giving Miru a wary look as anger seemed to simmer in her blue eyes. "Er… Hanazawa-san, why are you so concerned anyway?"

"Education is important! Without it, one has little choices in life." Miru retorted quickly, before she suddenly realized the gravity behind Maki's question and sank back in her seat with an abashed look. "Well, it's also… er, he… "

"He has had enough choice in life so far, Hanazawa-san. I think he's made his choice early in life."

"Even so, that doesn't mean he should just waste his father's effort in enrolling him in Keio that way. The assignment is worth 10% of our total marks, he should at least hand _something_ in."

"Well… are you done with it?"

"Er…no." Miru's reply was tinged with embarrassment, and she covered her gave when Maki laughed good-naturedly and gave her a friendly grin. "Don't worry, I'm not done either. I was planning to go over to Tora's house today to pass him the notes from the past few days. How about you come along? Then you can lecture him on missing his assignment, and maybe we can work on it together?"

"W-why would I want to go to the house of such a pompous person?" Miru denied, all the time avoiding eye-contact with Miru as she pretended to once again clear her workspace up. Maki however, has dealt enough with Tora's constant denial of his attraction to Ayuzawa Misaki in high school to know all the telltale signs.

"Because I don't want to hear a lecture meant for him. If you're angry at him, tell that to him personally." Maki kidded and got up before Miru could continue denying. "I'll see you at Keio's entrance after 4.45PM, my last class ends there. Be there or I'll hunt you down, Hanazawa-san."

* * *

"It's all prepared, Father."

"Thank you, Tora. Your friends are arriving together in awhile?"

"Yes, and they'll be staying until the party is over."

"That's great. I'm sure Anderson-sama will be curious as to how Takumi-san has integrated his life in to the British culture. He has great interest in cultural studies." The head of the Igarashi family gave a satisfied nod at his only son and heir, who understood it as a sign to leave, as he backed out of the main study to oversee the rest of the preparations to ready the mansion for the arrival of William Anderson, owner of Anderson Holdings and one of his family's major American partners.

His arrival this time meant another big deal, and his father rode his hopes on Tora. Tora knew that if he managed to successfully pull off this deal, his father would no longer worry over the company when it was handed over to him. The world may think he was a good for nothing son, but Tora was more responsible than his peers, even if it didn't seem so with his sadistic personality and propensity to spend more than was necessary.

But there was a reason why he had been chosen to reign as president of the Miyabigaoka student council, back in high school.

"Igarashi-sama, you have guests waiting for you."

 _Ah, they're here_. "I'll join them in the sitting room, thank you Umi-san." He nodded to the parlor maid and started his way towards the hall in the middle of his mansion. Pushing open the door, the guy wore a smirk whilst he greeted "It's been awhile Usu-" But Tora's greeting was cut off when he realized it was not the couple as he expected, but two faces he was very surprised in seeing.

"Yo, Tora. I figured I should drop off your notes, since you've been missing…. And Hanzawa-san has something to…. Er, yell at you." Maki grinned as he spoke, and almost immediately Tora's face turned from surprise to a pleased smirk as he turned his attention to Miru, who flushed and looked away. "Ah, you have something to say to me, Miru-san?"

"Miru isn't for you to call!" she retorted immediately, and turned a glare at him in her effort to mask her embarrassment. "And our assignment is due in four days, how do you expect to hand it in when you haven't been in class?!"

"Who said I was planning to hand it in?" Tora nonchalantly replied with a lazy shrug.

"How could you not? It's worth at least 5%, and we have a lot of assignments in our whole year. Do you plan on just not handing anything in as you have work to do? That'll waste any amount of money your father put in your education."

"An education I had no interest in in the first place."

"So you plan on just working in the company for the rest of your life? An education is a choice, it also _gives_ you choices, plenty of choices you wouldn't get if you rely on money alone."

By then, Miru was going in full force, and neither of them had realized Maki had quietly (and aptly) excused himself from the room. Tora took a few steps closer to Miru, and gave a grin as he recognized that familiar blaze in her blue eyes. "Have I ever told you your eyes looks like ice that's on fire when you're angry that way?"

"W-what are you talking about?" His words immediately flustered Miru, who consciously turned her gaze away from him, nervously shuffling her feet as her fingers grew clammy. Tora however, seemed to take great interest in her nervous reaction and stepped in closer, using his fingers to tilt her chin upwards towards him.

"I'm saying, you look like an Ice Queen vixen when you're angry. It's glorious."

"Igarashi Tora, stop spouting nonsense! I'm here to talk some sense in to you, can you please be serious for once in your life!"

"Okay, I'll be serious. But only if you'll sit with me as I finish that blasted assignment."

"W-what?! There is no need for that. Surely you're capable of finishing it yourself!"

"Nope. I can't work when I'm bored. And you're the only source of entertainment for me so far, so for me _not_ to be bored, you'll have to sit next to me as I work." The guy replied, a shrug accompanying his sly smile. Miru was aghast at his suggestion, her wide-eyed stare suggesting that his idea was insane.

"If not, I'll just bloody fail."

Somehow, the girl cannot stomach the thought of him failing, which resulted in her glaring at him after a good minute and bit out her response. "Fine, I'll work with you. But you have to be at school for that to happen."

"I'm sorry, there is no way I can go to school in the next two days or so. Which also means I'll be missing out on a lot of notes. Maki isn't free to come everyday, so how about you come to my place, and I'll get the notes _and_ we can work whenever I have a free slot?"

"What?! For the next two days? But I-I have stuff to do too."

"Do you? I've seen you in the library everyday till its closing time before you take the last train home. Is that what you count as 'busy'? Cause it sounds like you'd rather be anywhere but home, Hanazawa-san."

"I-I-"

"If you need, I'll send a driver up to the campus for you."

"No! That's fine! I know my way here, I can come myself!" Miru immediately cut in, horrified at the thought of the very noticeable Igarashi limousine picking her at Keio University. She would be mortified if her father and stepsister ever found out. "I finish my classes at 3PM for the next two days."

"Great! We can start today. You can wear one of the old dresses we have stashed away for the dinner, and after that we can work in the library as Father and Anderson-sama converse."

"What?!"

"Maki, you're alright staying for dinner, right? Anderson-sama loves more people to talk to. That's why I invited Usui over for dinner tonight. He's home visiting Ayuzawa anyway."

"Oh, Usui's coming over?" Maki's head popped in, and he nodded from the door. "Great! I think I left my suit here the last time, so I'll just put that on. It's in my room, right?"

"It's there, you know where it is. Rika-san!" Tora called as Maki left (To god knows where Miru didn't know. She was getting to be a bit overwhelmed for her evening was beginning to take a turn she had no idea was even going to happen this morning, and by this point she was just standing in surprise as Tora directed people around like an army commander). A well-dressed, middle aged maid walked in respectfully, and Tora pushed Miru forward gently by her shoulders. "Can you please take Hanazawa-san to one of our guest rooms, and take out the… Silver and teal long dress for her. It should be her size."

"Of course, Igarashi-san. If you would follow me Hanazawa-san?"

"Go on." Tora nudged when Miru seemed rooted on the spot, looking a little taken aback. He gave her a smile, but unlike the sly ones he'd given her so far, this one took Miru by surprise as she noted a gentleness to it like she's never seen before. "The dinner should be over by 8pm. Father likes a good long chat with Anderson-sama in his study. We'll work in the library after that. Promise."

With that, Tora strolled away and Miru too was left with little choice but to go with the maid to a wide staircase leading upwards, wondering what other surprises her night was going to unearth for her.


	5. Chapter 5

"Misaki!"

Tora leaned back on his haunches as the doors to the Igarashi mansion library opened, and the slender figure of Ayuzawa Misaki walked in, only to be tackled by her boyfriend's athletic frame bare seconds later, much to her loud denial of annoyance and Usui's happy mutterings. Tora rolled his eyes at the fluffy display of affection, and loudly cleared his throat as Usui finally deemed ready to let his girlfriend go.

"Really, Usui. If I knew that was going to happen, I would've just let you greet her alone."

"You would be the last person to understand, Igarashi. You have no one you'd be loathe to part with, and I haven't seen Misa-chan in the past 4 months." Takumi retorted, and Misaki rolled her eyes this time as she straightened out her black cocktail dress. "We had to Skype everyday, on this perverted alien's insistence."

"We were separated by miles and a computer screen Misa-chan! It wasn't the same."

"Alright, I get it I'll never understand the dealings of two outer-space beings made for each other." Tora waved them off, ignoring Misaki's loud exclamation of denial before he continued. "Anyway, it's great for you guys to come, especially since Usui's only here for the next four days. Anderson-sama is going to want to hear a great deal from you Usui, regarding England. I think he's pretty interested in your dealings with international companies you intern with as well, Ayuzawa-san."

"Is your father renewing his contract with him?"

"Kind of. I think they're drawing up a new contract, which was why Otou-sama wanted me to… er, _polish his boots_ a little, for lack of a better word." Tora briefed his two friends a little, just as the door opened again and Maki walked in suited up… trailed by a rather awkward-looking Miru.

As if she didn't know where she should look, her eyes were steadfastly trained to the pair of glittery sandals she had replaced her slippers with. A teal dress took the place of her denim shorts and hoodie, trimmed with silver lines, and her neck adorned with a simple necklace that nestled itself on her collarbones. Her hair was just brushed and left loose, but her rather flushed demeanour had Tora give an amused smile as he finally pushed off from the oaken table he was leaning on.

"Miru-san, the dress suits you well. We tend to keep a spare or two for cases like this."

"You mean you have this often? What shenanigans happen in your house anyway?" Miru asked in aghast, her tone partially accusatory and partially in confusion, before finally realizing there were two other people she didn't know within the room. The brash and straightforward attitude Tora had come to find he was often amused by abruptly stopped, and Miru suddenly looked like a dear caught in headlights as she blinked blankly at Takumi and Misaki.

"Ah, Usui, Misaki, this is Hanazawa Miru, my coursemate and classmate in Keio. Miru-san, they were my highschool… shall I say friends? That seems to be a stretch." He laughed, to which Misaki rolled her eyes and gave Miru a gentle smile, as she was wont to do with her soft spot for her own gender. "I consider that bull a friend, at least. He has helped me and Usui a great deal."

"Him? Help?" Miru's voice seemed incredulous (a tone in which Tora found himself strangely, mildly hurt by, although he wouldn't admit it for the world). Having not noticed Tora's strange glimmer in his eyes though, Misaki laughed. "He did, and I was as surprised as you were. But without him, Takumi wouldn't be able to study medicine as he is doing now, in England."

"I'm not a monster, Miru-san, but I thought we established that, that day in the tunnel whe-"

"Right I get it! I get it!" Miru cut it in a hurry, her cheeks flushing almost immediately when the memory of that odd afternoon flashed back in her mind. She could even feel her cheeks warm, and the change in demeanor was noticed immediately by everyone else. Luckily for her though, the butler came in just then to announce that dinner awaited them, and Miru quickly dashed out to avoid everyone else.

"What did you do to her?" Takumi asked, half in surprise half in wonderment, but Misaki quickly hurried him out with Maki, before she exited next to Tora, elbowing him as they walked down the hallway to the dining hall. "Don't be a bully, Igarashi. She's young, and probably doesn't deal with the likes of you very often."

"Her? Young? She's little spitfire, Ayuzawa. Don't be taken in by her small size." Tora scoffed.

"Whatever it is, don't play your games with her. I recognize her look, what did you do to her?" As always, Misaki has not changed from being the avenging angel to what she conceived as the more vulnerable sex. The need to protect the slight sized female was raging in her, yet for some reason Tora felt mildly offended that she'd think he would do anything to her.

"Nothing harmful, I promise." He murmured, before deciding quickly that having Misaki shooting him all over would not be the best idea as of yet. "Calm down, I'm not going to do anything to her. She's… None of this is your business, Ayuzawa."

"If you're going to do anything wrong to her it is."

"I don't think she needs you to be her champion. She champions herself well enough as it is." Tora replied in return, looking up to where Miru stood awaiting them to the entrance of the dining hall. Maybe it was the lighting, or maybe just because of how defensively she reacted, but for just a short second, Tora found himself caught off guard by how her defensively squared shoulders, that hard glint in her eyes, told him how she was so used to protecting herself that she didn't know how else she should react.

But he was most caught off guard by how deeply he wished he could wash away any need for her to defend herself, and let him do it for her.

* * *

Dinner was an uneventful affair. Miru largely kept silent, and she let the others do the talking, since they seemed more well versed in it anyway. The beef cheek stew melted in her mouth, the delicious foie gras omelet tantalized her tastebuds, yet it wasn't anything Miru hadn't tried before.

Then again, it wasn't something she particularly fancied either.

As daughter to one of the giants in the trading industry, the Hanazawa family made sure she was well fed, and well clothed. If anything, Miru could never fault her father on leaving her wellbeing undermined. But she had never wished for any material posessions.

Pulling out her phone, she texted yet another reminder to the nurse she had hired for nights on what her mother had requested that morning, before shoving it back in the pocket of her denim shorts, and absentmindedly twirled her pencil between her fingers as she tried to focus on the words in front of her. Miru had always expected that the wellbeing of her mother was going to be harder to care for once she entered university, but more than anything, she refused to compromise her education.

Afterall, she's seen it happen to her mother, what a lack of education could do to her. And as much as she loved her mother, she wouldn't want the same thing to repeat to her.

So why couldn't she concentrate? Miru had always found it easy to focus on her one goal: get a good record, get a good job, and never have to rely on anyone again.

That damned Igarashi was not helping her. Why did she agree to stay again? She had no commitment to help him. Miru ran a hand through her hair in exasperation, because even if she said that, she knew why she stayed. Damned hormones and freaking attraction. There was no rhyme or reason as to why, other than that stupid kiss he more or less shoved on her that day in the tunnel. So why bother?

The door opened in the midst of her thoughts, causing Miru to jump and look up, just as Tora made his way in to the well-lit library, taking a seat next to Miru, as he slide his laptop on to the table. "So? Where shall we start?"

"Haven't you started, at least?" Miru asked incredulously, getting her answer when Tora opened a blank sheet on Microsoft Word, and just stared at her blankly. "Didn't I already mentioned I've been busy the past few days? Or do you just have selective hearing?"

"I do- My hearing is just fine!" Miru retorted, scowling as she pulled a book forward. "Do you even know what we're supposed to be writing our paper on?"

"… Somewhat."

"You have no idea don't you?" Miru asked dryly.

"Nope."

His answer was met with silence, and then finally a long suffering sigh from the dark haired girl, as she pulled open another file and quickly typed in a few things. "What's your email?" she asked, without even looking over. Tora gave it to her, and a few seconds later, a quick 'ding!' appeared in Tora's inbox. "I've sent the assignment sheet to you. Read the question, and then read this book. It gives a fair amount of-"

"Market Research on the Age Groups? God, I feel like yawning just reading the question." Tora whined, scowling at his screen. Miru rolled her eyes and shoved him. "Don't be a baby, Igarashi. It's only the first of your three years in Keio. We've got plenty of this to go."

"God damn, why does Otou-san even want me to attend this? It's such a waste of good money." Tora grumbled.

"Because it opens up a world of opportunities to you." Miru snapped, that tone in which called every fibre in Tora to attention. "You may not think so, but some people… no, _most_ people scoff at you if you do not have qualifications. Yes, it may not matter, but some are stringent that way. He's doing you a _favor_ , making sure you'll never get ridiculed simply because you chose not to study when you had the choice."

"… Why are you so big on choices, anyway?" Tora finally couldn't resist but ask, his curiosity paramount right now. He was beginning to realize that education was a great matter to this little blue-eyed minx that has him quite enraptured. Why did she always look so serious? And her eyebags weighed a tonne, yet Tora couldn't imagine why.

"When you have a choice, that means you never have to rely on someone and be entirely in their debt. You have a chance at saying yes, or no. You can choose what you like, and not have to live entirely to pander to his likings, what he wants, what he thinks is appropriate." Her reply was tinged with bitterness, along with a hard edge that made Tora believe there was more to it then meets the eye. His brows furrowed as he noticed the sharp corners when she spoke. "Miru, who took away your choice?"

She met his question with silence, and he scowled. "Miru-"

"That's not for you to ask. If you're not going to work, I'm leaving." She murmured, making a move to pack her stuff, when Tora's arm shot out to stop her. "Don't go. I'll work, I promise."

"Then get to work."

The clock blinked 11PM, when a knocked sounded again on the library door, startling the two figures who were hunched over their laptops, occasionally flipping through books between typing. Miru looked daze, blinking in surprise when she was jolted out of momentum, and Tora took one look at her before he darted for the door.

A female's voice referring to Tora as 'young master' alerted Miru that it was one of the housemaids, just as the male closed the door as he walked back holding a covered plate. "What was it? And why is your house staff still up so late?"

"I requested for them to alert us when it was 11PM, as well as to bring a little something for me to eat."

"Did you not like your dinner or something?" Miru asked in surprise, still feeling bloated from a very good dinner.

"Not entirely. I have all this food very often, I'm actually quite sick of it. I prefer this actually."

It was only then that Miru realized he had pulled out a seaweed wrapped onigiri, and had a fairly pleased face as he bit into the riceball, much to the girl's surprise. "You prefer an onigiri to all of dinner?"

"Why not? It's not something I have very often. It's very… refreshing." He swallowed his bite, saving his work on his laptop before closing it. "Anyway, it's late. You better go home. Do you have a ride?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. No, I mean… It's alright. I'll walk to the train station. It's not far from here anyway."

"Do you not have a driver you can call?" Tora asked in surprise, watching as she packed her stuff all while not meeting his eyes. Considering she was the daughter of a great trading tycoon, surely she had a driver somewhere, right?

"I… prefer not to. I mean, I like a night time walk. I r-"

"Danger likes the night too." Tora retorted, an annoyed look on his face. "I can't leave right now, it's too last minute for me to just up and go without notifying anyone. I'll ask our butler to walk you to the station, alright?"

"No, that's fine! There's no need. I really do like m-"

"Yes, I get it, you like a night time stroll. I'll join you on it tomorrow, okay? You can stroll all you want then, but just for tonight can you just stop being stubborn and go with what I say?" Tora retorted with a finality in his words. The male had been prepared on fighting tooth and nail for this, not at all comfortable with sending her alone, yet was met with surprise when she easily conceded, nodding as she hitched her backpack on her shoulder.

"Fine. Whatever you say." Miru replied, and quickly added. "I just want to get home quick. I have a morning class tomorrow."

"I'll see you here at 3.30PM tomorrow then." He paused, and then grinned. "Do me a favor. Get me some food."


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry I stopped updating this for... a year and three months! *Hides* Life got SO in the way, andddd I discovered Wattpad. xD But I'll finish my stories here, although do feel free to check out my Wattpad! I'll do my original stories there, and my fanfic's here. (Already planning a Beauty and the Beast one. How is Gaston in the movie so ultra hot. *fans self*).

"Mom?"

"Miru, where have you been lately?" The faint voice of the brunette, blue-eyed lady on the bed propelled Miru forward as if it were a magnet and she was the metallic object. Wasting no time, the blue-eyed younger girl grasped the frail hand of her mother, pressing her lips to it apologetically.

"Sorry Mom," she spoke, in English so the maid wouldn't understand a word. Dressed in the uniform provided to all of Hanazawa household staff, she retreated respectfully out of the dim room, any light filtered through the window disappearing in the sunset. "It's been... busy. Keio is a difficult university."

"It's been... what, three months?" her mother asked. Miru smiled, nodding, even as she recognized the signs of her weak mother nodding off to sleep.

"Yes, Mom. Three months and a week."

"Do you like it there? Have you made friends?"

Miru paused, staring at her mother's thin, wizened fingers, scrawny and bony to the touch. She smiled, as a face flitted into her mind's eye. "Sort of." She paused, her smile fading away.

Her mother managed a question in her eyes, but soon the medication took affect and Hanazawa Cheryl Hamilton drifted off to sleep, blue eyes fluttering close,just as the doors opened, and a woman in a nurse's outfit appeared. Miru carefully placed the hand she held under the sheets, getting up to press a kiss on the sleeping woman's forehead, before stepping back as the nurse shuffled forward, knowing her duties already. Miru trusted the nurse, for her mother had been well taken care of before, and so she left the room, shutting the door quietly.

"Miru-chan."

Miru turned in surprise, on instant alert when a voice had called her name in the darkened hallway, but breathed a sigh of relief when she met hazel eyes, dark hair, and a girl who shared the same features as her, except looking older. "Riyo-chan, sorry." she apologized, holding a hand to her chest to catch her breathe, before looking up to her elder sister. "Is he looking for me already?"

Riyo's face twisted into a worried look. They may be stepsisters, but they shared a close bond. A bond they dared not display too often, for fear of what their father may do to them from it. Riyo and Miru only had each other as they grew up, for Riyo's mother had left the family early on once she knew of Hanazawa Jin's ruthless business tactics. He would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, and now his two daughters were his tools. One his puppet for when he took over, the other to gain traction in uncharted territories.

"Are you certain that it will be alright, Miru?" Riyo asked, not needing to answer Miru's question. They both knew the answer.

Miru didn't answer immediately. Instead, she let her thoughts linger upon the past three months. She and Tora had managed to submit the assignment with just a penalty of three marks from being late for a day. Tora had walked her back that day, and she had introduced him to the wonders of okonomiyaki when he complained that he was hungry, and the way to her house was too far and they should've taken a cab.

 _"You told me you wanted to come. I didn't ask you to."_

 _"You could've warned me it would be this far!" Tora scowled, trudging along. "Do you walk back every day?" he asked. She nodded, and he growled. "Why do you not have a driver? For heaven's sake, your father owns Hanazawa Wholesale. He practically controls all of Japan's exported goods. He could afford ten drivers for you!"_

 _"He wouldn't bother." she grounded out before she could stop herself. The words brought Tora on alert, as he straightened up and peered at Miru, who pointedly ignored his gaze._

 _"What do you mean?"_

She didn't reply him. Despite Tora's persistence their whole way back, Miru did her best to avoid the question, and from that day on, she did her best to avoid him. For once, she couldn't bring herself to do what her father had specifically instructed her to do the day she got in to Keio University. Least of all, not to Igarashi Tora. It was easier when she thought he was a spoiled brat. But now that she knew he was actually responsible, upstanding, good at the core if a little arrogant at times... Miru just couldn't do it.

So she did what she did best. She avoided him, going so far as to sit right in front of the lectures and getting there early so she wouldn't have to take the seat next to him. Miru even avoided his friends. She thanked god Ayuzawa Misaki and Takumi Usui had left the country already, for that meant she only had to avoid Maki.

The only time she ever did contact him, in a roundabout way, was when she got wind of the Igarashi Group throwing a huge gala, which had happened a week , she had the feeling that Tora was involved in the planning, and when she could not find him at lunchtime for the third day consecutively, Miru got worried. She cursed the fact, but that didn't stop her from dropping a lunchbox at his bag everyday when he disappeared into the library, doing so for at least a week until the gala was over.

She liked him? So curse her if she did. In the scathing world of business where one was constantly vulnerable and cunning, Miru admired how Tora was honest, upstanding, and hardworking. Sure he was spoiled, often taking what he wanted for himself, but that didn't mean he didn't work hard for what he had today. Miru had learned to admire him over the past three months.

And because of that, she didn't want to get closer to him all the more.

"Miru?"

"Sorry, onee-chan. I... What does he want this time?" she asked, in a tired voice. Riyo seemed to notice it, and surreptiously checked the hallway in both directions, before quickly pulling Miru in for a hug. It was a rare but cherished moment, before the sisters broke apart.

"I think it's to do with the fundraising ball taking place in a week's time. He's asked me to be his escort again, and I am to deal with the director's of the biggest tech companies in the gala." Riyo murmured, squeezing Miru's hands before she dropped it. "Go, quickly, before he gets angry."

Miru sighed, but did as she was told, knowing her elder sister's words held wisdom.

As she approached the grand oaken doors that housed the office of her father, Hanazawa Jin, a sense of forbidding overcame her. It was nothing new, yet Miru could never get used to the cold sense of dread whenever she was summoned for an audience with her father. It was not something one often felt when seeing one's supposed parent.

Knocking before she entered, Miru smoothened her skater skirt, the door closing behind her as she stopped in the familiar space. The ceilings were tall and cavernous,blinds drawn to illuminate the ceiling-to-floor bookshelves, a cabinet displaying his various accolades on the left of his seat, and the carved table behind of which her father, the balding Hanazawa Jin of Hanazawa Wholsale sat, peering at her.

"What took you so long?"

"Sorry, Hanazawa-san. I... Mom needed some exta help." she murmured, unwilling to get Riyo in trouble. Luckily for them, that particular hallway had to surveillance camera.

He raised a graying eyebrow, and shrugged, before motioning her forward. As she did as she was told, he slid three brown files in front. "These three are the heirs to the biggest healthcare corporations in Tokyo. Riyo will be bus with the tech giants, and considering this fundraiser is focusing on raising funds for the healthcare industry, I'd like you to ensure you get yourself known to all three of them."

She opened them and glanced, recognizing the names from previous functions. "Understood. Is that all?"

"No. How goes your friendship with Igarashi, Kanade, Takumi?" he asked, now pushing his fingers together and peering at her over the tips.

Miru froze in her actions of collecting the files, but quickly recovered. "Takumi Usui is no longer in the country. He now studies medicine in England."

"And Igarashi and Kanade?"

"Igarashi Tora runs 60% of the Igarashi Corporations, and as such is wary of who he befriends. I have been doing my best, but he is a careful man." Miru had perfected her art of lying over the years, if only to protect those she loved. So the whole time she spoke, she stared dead into her father's eyes, unblinking.

Hanazawa Jin however, was no dumb man, especially not when he had singled-handedly grew Hanazawa Wholesale after his father had handed him a struggling company. So he measured his daughter with a careful look, as he spoke in a tone filled with warning, "Don't forget, Miru my daughter. Cheryl's medical fees-"

"I won't forget, Hanazawa-san. I promise. If that is all, i take my leave."

The silence that stretched as she awaited for his permission felt like forever, before he finally waved his hand. Once outside, Miru leaned against the walls of the hallway off the main office, suddenly feeling as if her legs no longer had any energy to hold her up. How could she continue this charade? There was three more years to go to be schoolmates with Tora, and there was no way her father was going to let her transfer schools.

Hanazawa Miru, you are stronger then this. Work it.

The glam and the glitz that filled the grand ballroom of the Tokyo Mandarin Oriental was befitting of it's attendees tonight. All were owners and directors of large corporations within Tokyo, along with their family members. After fifteen years of this sort of life, you would think Miru would be used to it by now, but even at the age of nineteen, she shifted uncomfortable in the emerald green cocktail dress, aware of the eyes watching her.

"Don't fidget, Miru. You're making father suspicious." Riyo hissed next to her.

"Riyo, Miru." he addressed them, in a tone that was not very different from an army officer. It had them both straightening up as he plucked a flute of champagne of a passing waiter's tray. "You know what you're here to do. I expect results at the end of the night."

"Yes father." They both echoed, a name Miru only called him when they were in public.

Within minutes, the sisters had parted way, and Miru soon found herself wearing her practiced smile as she conversed with a young male going by the name of Tanaka Satoshi, the eldest son and heir to Tanaka Holdings, a company who produced the graphic chips that went to producing all. He was a smooth-talking young man who seemed to be highly flirtatious, from the way he offered to bring her dranks, to the way he brushed a stray strand of her dark hair away from her.

"How are your eyes blue, Miru-san? They are beautiful."

Why was it she didn't feel a thing when he said it? Yet when Tora had called her an Ice Queen due to her blue eyes, Miru had first wanted to throw something at him, and then wanted to hide from him.

Reminding herself the task at hand, she pushed a smile out at him, easily putting on a persona as she started to answer him.

The answer never had a chance to escape however, for she immediately felt someone at her side, and before she could check who it was, the voice made cold dread wash all over her body. "I'm afraid I have some unfinished business with Miru-chan here. I'll have to steal her away, Tanaka."

"Oh, Igarashi. Ho-"

He was never given a chance to finish his sentence. It was all Miru could do to not cause a scene by dropping her glass, as Tora proceeded to drag her away. She would've complaint, had they not been in a ballroom filled with 400 other people. So she chose to remain silent, forcefully yanking her arms out of his grip once he had turned left and exited the balcony to a hidden alcove.

"What do you think you are doing, Igarashi!" Miru demanded, as she glared at him. Tora turned to face her, but his face did not wear the amused smirk she was used to seeing on his face,but was instead replaced by one of slow anger.

"What I should've done a long time ago. Just who do you think you are, Hanazawa Miru?" he growled, plucking her glass out of her hands and placing it on the ground.

As he began advancing on her, Miru suddenly realized how it felt like to be a cornered gazelle when a hungry lion was on the hunt. Instinctively, the girl took a step back for every step Tora took forward, stammering a reply.

"W-What do you mean, Igarashi? Y-you just s-said my name."

"I don't mean that." he scoffed. "I mean who do you think you are, coming into my life, making me curious about you, caring for my well-being, dropping me food-"

She barked a laugh, feigning ignorance. "Get over yourself, Igarashi. How would I find the time to make you food?"

"Umeboshi onigiri." he growled out. Internally, Miru cursed. She had her qualms when she had made that for the lunchbox, but it was the quickest and fastest thing she could make in between caring for her mother, finishing assignments, and doing whatever it is her father asked her to do.

"So?" she feigned indignance this time.

"So you don't get to decide when you want to talk to me and when you want to ignore me." Tora growled out, still taking each step closer to her, getting more and more annoyed as she backed away. At first he had tried to make space for her, saving a seat for her in class, looking for her during breaks. But after a week of noticing how she avoided his gaze, avoided where he was, and generally everything about him, Tora got the idea.

She was avoiding him.

And as days dragged on to weeks, his confusion turned to frustration, and frustration built into anger. Anger at her for crawling under his skin, anger at himself for letting her, and anger at the world in general, for whatever it was that conspired between them.

When he had walked in tonight and saw her in her low-necked, long emerald green dress that hugged her in the right place, showing the hollow that was between her neck bones, his blood had boiled, and it had bubbled as she spoke with Tanaka Satoshi. How dare she smiled and flirted with him, when she made lunches for _him_?

Tora had lost it then, and he feared that now, on the shadowed alcove, with her blue eyes flashing in part anger, part fear at him, he was never going to find it back. Closing the distance between them as Miru backed herself into a wall, she gave a muffled squeal when he grabbed her wrists and pressed her against the damp brick wall, peering down as she flinched away from the sudden intrusion of her personal space, before meeting his intense gaze head on with her piercing blue eyes.

"You do not come and talk to me, kiss me, make as if you are my friend, and then walk away from me like nothing happened, Miru." Tora hissed in her ear. A shiver ran down Miru's spine, but she refused to show an outward reaction and flashed him a defiant look.

" _You_ kissed _me,_ Igarashi-san. There is a difference." she tried to struggle out of his tight grip, to no avail. Glaring at him, she grounded out. "Let me _go_. My father will come looking for me soon, what do you think you're doing?"

"I already said so. Something I should've done a _long_ time ago."

Before she could brace herself, Miru's voice was muffled when Tora swooped down to capture her lips with his, in a bruising, almost punishing kiss where he could finally release all the pented up frustration and whirlwind of emotions he's had regarding the blue-eyed, half-Japanese girl that he now had in his arms. Miru struggled at first, but gave in eventually as her knees softened. She couldn't deny it. Igarashi Tora had gotten her admiration in more ways then one, and it was an attraction that was futile to fight against.

"You're _mine_ , Hanazawa Miru. That means it is not _your_ choice on when you want to speak, look or sit next to me." Tora murmured, when he finally pulled back. He grinned when Miru looked at him blearily, dazed from his punishing kiss. Using his hands, for they had somehow found themselves to her waist, whilst her arms were wrapped around his neck, his thumb caressed the edge of her waist. "Remember. You're _mine_."


	7. Chapter 7

On regular days when the sun shone, Ebisu Park would bustle as people milled, streetside vendors sold snacks and treats, tourists stopped for pictures. But when the sun set, it was deserted, with only a few people milling about.

Miru nervously fidgeted with her fingers as she and Tora walked through the pathway, both silent. After the kiss, Miru had tried to collect herself to get away, but Tora had took no chances. He grabbed her by her arm in a vise grip, dragging her to a waiting car where Kanade Maki grinned as he opened the passenger seat for them.

 _"Kanade-san, what is-"_

 _"Don't worry Hanazawa-san. I don't think Tora means any harm. He's just... agitated."_

Miru had stared in the smiley-faced butler-figure in confusion, but the next thing she knew, the door slammed in her face, the doors locked and Igarashi Tora got in the driver's seat before the tires squealed as they peeled away. It was about a 10 minute drive from the Mandarin Oriental to Ebisu Park, before he had pulled into a lot of the darkened park, and opened the door for her. They had started walking then, with Miru just a few steps in front. She had ceased trying to run now, since he could definitely overtake her in a car.

But what unnerved her the most was not the grim look he wore, nor the speed at which Tora had drove. It wasn't even the hostile way he held himself, because somehow in her heart of hearts, Miru knew that Igarashi Tora could never find it within himself to harm her. No, what bothered her the most, was how silent he was.

Ever since the first day she had met him, Tora had always had something to say. Be it a snide comment, a derogatory remark, or even as the perfect heir to Igarashi Corporation, he always knew the right words.

For the first time Tora felt a loss of words. Even at a gathering of the most influential businessmen in Tokyo, he had never felt as out of place as he did now. What did Usui suggest to him again? He grimaced at the memory.

 _"Well, Misa-chan likes my pick-up lines-"_

 _"I did not, you perverted alien!" he frowned when he heard Misaki's vehement denial in the background of the phone call._

 _"See, she does!"_

Tora looked over at Miru's slender form as they walked along the path, illuminated by the lampposts and the full moon hanging in the night sky. Watching the way her lashes brushed the top of her cheeks, the uncertain light within her blue eyes, the soft breeze that played with her shoulder-length dark hair... should he? Igarashi Tora, who had never felt anything but confidence before, was suddenly introduced to fear.

"Miru."

She paused in her steps, and then gave him a look that was both questioning and wary in the blue depths.

"I..." he fumbled, the words getting stuck in his throat. "If... I want to be the only one to ever give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation."

The silence was palpable. And then, he heard a laugh. Warmth immediately spread across his cheeks as Miru tried and failed to hide her laughter, only managing to muffle it behind her hands. Tora cursed Usui in his mind, knowing full well he should've trusted his instincts when it had screamed no. When Miru finally gave in and just laughed though, the prideful Igarashi suddenly found himself smiling as he turned to his right and saw her laughing face, the free way in which she threw her head back, until tears surfaced.

"W-where did that come from?" Miru finally asked, when her laughter subsided.

"An idiot." Tora muttered, but the casual smile on his face remained, much to Miru's surprise.

She widened her eyes, and couldn't help but ask, "You aren't mad that I'm laughing at you?"

"Not really. At least its with me." Tora turned to stare at her face to face. "What business do you have with Tanaka Satoshi? Whatever it is, I'll send Maki to do it. You have no reason to speak to him again."

"Ah, wonderful. I'll go look for Izanagi Jirou then. I-"

A flash of anger shot through Tora, and he shot out to grab her wrist as Miru turned to leave. "You're going nowhere. Neither will you look for Izanagi."

"Ah." she replied, in a neutral tone. Yet despite that, and despite Tora's golden eyes boring holes into the back of Miru's head, she kept her head turned, her dark hair blocking his view of her face. "Then I'll go and find Masayoshi Kenji. I need to-"

"You are finding no one." Tora cut her off in a dark tone, his grip tightening. "You will go near _none_ of them, and you will-"

"I cannot!"

Much to Tora's surprise, Miru's words were shouted, a loud disturbance to the otherwise quiet park, as her whole body shook along with her vibrating tone. Suddenly, it was as if she was no longer the quiet, composed girl he had seen before, but was shaken by something bigger. Not knowing what to respond, Tora could only remain silent as she continued speaking, each syllable shivering.

"I cannot let you interfere in my job. They are a part of my duties, as my father's daughter,as my... mother's daughter. They... are a job. You... I won't let _you_ be another one." The last sentence was whispered, so softly that he would've missed it had he not walked closer to hear, his grip loosened on her wrist, but he never let it go as he asked. "What do you mean?"

Miru remained turned away from him as she answered, using her hair as a curtain against him seeing her. But the way her voice shook as she replied was enough proof for Tora to know that it wasn't as simple as she made it seem. "My... father, prioritizes his business above all else. Everyone I speak to, everyone I know, they are all jobs, profiles I have studied, people I _have_ to know for his benefit." she paused, and then continued in a softer tone. "Even you."

And suddenly, it was as if the ground was pulled out from under him. His blood ran cold, as everything they had done together, or she had done for him, played like an old movie reel in his head. The days she spent sitting with him finishing their assignment, the onigiri she had brought for him... all of it?

"Igarashi Tora, only son and heir to Igarashi Group. Former president of the Miyabigaoka High student council, born on February 18th. Womanizer. Changes girlfriends faster then people make business deals. Capable, and promising heir. Everything my father would want as an associate." Miru explained, her heart heavy as she turned to look at him, feeling heavier when she saw his stricken look. "But you became more then just that paper in a folder. And Hanazawa Jin _cannot_ find out about that. Or..."

"Or what?" he asked, unable to help himself. They now stood a palm distance apart, but Tora suddenly didn't know if he wanted to close the gap or not. When before, he itched to touch her, ached to hold her against him, now his defenses were thrown up again, one he often had to protect himself in a cutt-throat world of business and deals.

"Or he will ask for more." Miru finished, deciding not to tell him the full truth. Her mother was a closely guarded secret, and with how Tora was reacting to her just now, she wasn't sure if she trusted him enough yet to reveal the only person who she had ever held dear. "He always asks for more." she continued, wringing her fingers again, a habit she did when she was nervous. Tora was beginning to notice that as he looked down.

"So... all of this." he waved a hand, and expounded on his words when she turned questioning blue irises at him. "You getting to know me, working on my assigment... all of this was because your father asked for it?"

"Yes... and no." Miru knew he deserved a full explanation, at least for their situation. "I didn't know you were Igarashi Tora, the one that my father told me about. Imagine my rude surprise when I found out it was you, the one who thought you were entitled to everything because of your family name. I... Kanade-san told me about you."

"Maki?"

"He's a good friend," Miru smiled as she thought back to that day, three months ago in the campus cafetaria. "And he introduced me to a whole new side of you that I found amazing... precious, even. And I... I couldn't bring myself to do it, Igarashi Tora. I admired you too much to allow myself to bring you as a pawn to my father's game. I... couldn't let you be just another job to me." she finished breathlessly, letting her gaze drop to the ground again. With each word she had said, the rock in his chest had been removed one by one, and as she finished, Tora smiled again, taking his hands out of his pockets, and using them to wrap over her fidgeting hands.

"Number one, you are _never_ to approach any guy again when I'm not by your side. Or if it isn't Maki."

Miru's eyes flashed up in indignance, opening her mouth to protest. Tora however, placed his palm over her mouth, and shook his head. "I am protective, and I am possessive, deal with it. What's mine is mine, and I don't want any other guy laying eyes on you, Miru-chan." Her eyes widened, and he chuckled at that. "You are adorable when you are surprised. Remind me to surprise you more often." Her blue eyes flashed with amusement, and he leaned forward to press a kiss on her forehead that had her widening her eyes again.

"Two," he continued, tucking a stray strand of her hair away. "You're going home and packing your bags. Igarashi mansion has enough rooms for you. Leave your father to-"

"No!" Miru dragged his hand down to shake her head vehemently, much to Tora's surprise. He frowned in question, and Miru just squeezed the hand she held. "Just... let me deal with him. I have certain... unfinished business. Besides, you'll put Riyo-neechan in trouble if you try and do anything to Hanazawa-san."

"Riyo? Your sister? You two are close?" Tora asked in surprise. "I would've thought otherwise. She is your stepsister, isn't she?"

"You read too many Disney fairytales. Yes, she is my stepsister, but she's the only one who understands what we go through as the two only daughters to Hanazawa Jin. I cannot put her in trouble. Just... don't try and cross my father, please Tora-kun. You don't know what fire you're playing with."

"No one crosses what is Igarashi Tora's and gets away with it." he growled, his golden eyes alight with flames. Miru couldn't help but soften at his words, over how protective he was, but insistently shook her head.

"No, listen to me. He is ruthless. Leave it be. He hasn't a hair on my head yet so far, as long as I do as he wishes."

"Which includes carousing with guys, talking to people of uncertain backgrounds-" Tora growled.

Miru shook her head wryly, pressing a finger against his lips. "You're being paranoid. I've done well for myself so far. I'm not a fragile flower you need to protect, Tora-kun. Trust me. I am a survivor. I can handle it."

Tora stared at her, unable to find the words to describe just how much the pint-sized girl whose hand he now held in his own fascinated him with how resilient she could be despite circumstances, how stubborn she could be despite being told otherwise. The other girls he's had and thrown were vapid, eagerly falling into his protective embrace, yet here his Miru actively rejected it. Finally, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Fine. But you _have_ to tell me everywhere you are. Whenever you're given some idiot to connect with."

"And why should I tell you that?" Miru replied in a daring tone, a cheeky smile playing around her lips. He smirked, and slid his arms to wrap it around her waist. She squeaked as he dragged her without warning closer to her, and pressed his forehead to hers, his warm breathe caressing her cheeks as he spoke.

"Because you're _mine_ , and I don't let go easily."


	8. Chapter 8

Miru had never enjoyed using the chauffeur's and cars the Hanazawa family had. Riyo used her own set of drivers and cars to get to Waseda University every day, but unlike her sister, Miru preferred to remain under the radar. She had enough of the continuous hounding of paparazzi on her family, to want to attract more attention by rolling up at Keio's doorsteps in a three doored limousine. She was a new addition to the Hanazawa family, and by default, media attention turned to her. When she had first entered the mansion at the age of fifteen, she spent three days holed up in the same room as her mother while they waited out the sea of press at their doorstep. The following year saw her with her own set of bodyguards wherever she went.

Luckily after 2 years, the year she graduated from high school, their interest had abated, and instead had focused on the recent development between newly revealed sordid past of talented, well-loved Usui Takumi.

In a way, it was ironic, that the very person who had attracted the spotlight away from her would now be a friend of her... what did she call him anyway?

"Morning, Miru-chan."

Talk of the devil. As she looked up, the smile came subconsciously when she spotted the slender, tall figure of Igarashi Tora leaning on a tree just before the entrance to their campus. Maki stood next to him, his usual easy-going smile on his lips, but it was the handsome features of Tora that monopolied her attention.

What did she call him again?

He pushed off the tree he leaned on, in his black jeans and ivory buttoned shirt, walked closer to her. Her heart rate increased, and Miru couldn't help but to hug the thick textbook she held for their Marketing class close to her chest as he approached her, his golden eyes never once leaving her features. She could feel the heat radiating off him as he came nearer to her, and then stopped. "I said Good Morning, sweetheart."

"Mo-morning, Tora-san."

"San?" he echoed, leaning back to stare at her incredulously. The stare melted into a frown. "Why?I thought we we-"

"We can't let people know, Tora-san." Miru quickly replied, unable to bring her eyes to meet him. She picked up her feet, hurrying away. Tora easily fell in step behind her, annoyance seeping into his face as he stared at the back of her head.

"Why?" he asked in irritation.

"Because you are Igarashi Tora, and I am the mysterious daughter of Hanazawa Jin. I turned up out of the blue, with no explanation of my history whatsoever." she paused, and turned to glare at him. "I have blue eyes in Tokyo, the daughter of a full-blooded Japanese man whose wife had died in childbirth to a stillborn son. The press eat me alive."

"They have to go through me." he hissed.

"Relax, kaichou." Maki stepped up, ever the voice of reason and logic. Not that Tora _liked_ his logic sometimes, but he saw merit in how calm his best friend could be sometimes. "Miru-san is right. You'll only put her in danger if you openly stake your claim on her now."

"Stake his claim?" Miru echoed in a shocked disbelief. "I am not a property to be claimed."

Maki smiled, Tora grinned in delight at hearing the term. "Be that as it may, Miru-san, you don't know Tora as well as I do. But that's besides the point. Tora, I know you don't want to endanger her right now, so perhaps the best idea would be to step away from her for-"

"No." Tora replied in a stubborn tone, scowling again. "I am _not_ stepping away from her. She's -"

"Your's I get it. I've heard it only a million times." his friend rolled his eyes. Miru flushed at the meaning behind the words, but chose to keep her silence as he continued. "But there is no reason why you have to announce it to the whole world just yet. Miru-san, you have other problems, don't you?"

Miru hesitated, looking up at Maki. But something told her Kanade Maki was not someone you can easily hide information on. So in the end, she nodded, looking away and missing the flash of surprise that crossed Tora's eyes. Maki nodded. "In that case, I do hope you'll tell us what it is, for between Tora and I, and even Ayuzawa and Usui's help, we could probably do something about it, but until then Tora, you're only putting her in danger."

Silence settled over the three standing in a circle on Keio campus grounds, before Tora made an irritated growl at the back of his throat, turning around to storm off. Miru could only stare at his rigid back as he walked off, and sighed, at a loss of what to do or say.

"Miru-san." Maki's voice addressing her made her look up to the kindly smile. "Give him some time. Tora rarely ever gets so infatuated by someone of the opposite gender. Most of his past relationships you would probably see if you run an internet search on his name are flings, short-term things. I've never seen him so enamoured by someone."

With those words, the calm, gentle Maki turned on his heels to follow Tora's tracks, leaving a very confused and irate Miru standing and staring at their retreating figures.

* * *

The morning classes had passed by in a blur, but in all honesty, Miru barely remembered the lecture. She had to make a mental note to herself to remember to go home and review the slides, for her mind was so consumed by all that was Igarashi Tora, it was frustratingly hard to concentrate. Especially when the person in question sat two rows in front of her, his golden locks reflecting the glaring lecture hall lights.

When class was finally over, Miru had to wrench her eyes away from the back of his head to lock her laptop. Just as she was shoving it back into it's messenger bag however, a pair of legs visualized in front of her bent head. She blinked in surprise, recognizing the shoes, the jeans, and the voice that followed soon after.

"Come with me."

When she looked up, all she saw was Tora turning, the back of his ivory shirt. Miru instinctively wanted to balk, but remembering what Maki had said to her that morning, the girl instead chose to bite her tongue. Instead, she forcefully zipped up the bag, grabbed her black hoodie before hurrying after him. It wasn't the first time Miru had cursed her short legs, and it definitely wouldn't be the last, as she had to do a slow run to keep up with Tora's long gait. Winding silently through the hallways, it wasn't long before he led her to a door, that when he pushed open, revealed to be a tiny garden in what seemed to be near the gardener's shed. It was there that Tora walked out, and dumped his bag under a tree, turning to take a seat under it.

Miru stood at the closed door, blinking at him sitting cross legged on the bare ground. He raised a brow, and patted the area next to him.

Miru blinked. "What?"

"Come and sit." he murmured, leaning against the tree. Miru frowned suspiciously, still not entirely sure of the agenda, but decided to go with her gut feel. Slowly, the girl placed her denim backpack on the ground, and demurely took a seat, folding her legs beneath her. Her shorts did nothing to protect her bare legs from the dirt ground, so Miru hugged her legs to her chest. She startled backwards however, when she turned and saw a square lunchbox bound with a black elastic band held out to her, along with a pair of chopsticks. Blinking, the girl turned her blue eyes to Tora, who was pointedly averting his gaze from her. In his lap, he held another, similar box.

"What is this?"

"Lunch." he replied curtly.

Miru frowned, gingerly staring but still not touching the box. "And its for...?"

"You."

She paused, cocking her head. "Why?"

This time, it was Tora who turned to glare at her. "Because I had it made already this morning okay. Me being mad at you doesn't mean food should go wasted. So eat."

Miru held back a laugh at the tantrum-like display Tora showed, and instead arranged her features into one of wry disbelief, raising a brow at him. "And why are you mad at me?"

He kept a stoic silence, the only sound disturbing their little bubble the rustle of leaves as the wind drifted. "Well?" she prodded.

"I'm not... mad, technically. I'm just... I've always been possessive okay." She raised a brow, but didn't comment as he continued. "It irks me that I can't tell a single soul about you."

"And what will you tell them?"

Hearing that, Tora turned to focus an incredulous look at her, as if she was dumb for not seeing an obvious truth. "That you're mine, of course. My girl. And none of them should harm a hair on your head or they will have me to answer to."

Miru stared at how Tora said it was if he was stating the obvious, and she knew that at that split second, she could do little to save herself for falling for him. Igarashi Tora may be arrogant, self-entitled and prideful, but he was also protective, caring and had a heart that was good at its core. It was hard to dislike him when he was so earnestly looking at her with his golden gaze. Finally, she gave a soft smile, and surprised him by pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I'm not going anywhere, Igarashi. You don't have to worry."

When she leaned back, Tora stared at her, and much to her relief, gave her a smile in return, using his head to motion at the lunchbox. Her swift opening revealed a nicely decorated square of rice with a pickled plum in the middle, what appeared to be some grilled meat arranged upon a bed of vegetables. She raised a brow, and gave him a curious grin. "Umeboshi?"

"It's a thing." Tora replied, hiding a laugh as he opened his own lunchbox and picked up his chopsticks.

"Thank you." Miru murmured softly. Looking over at her dark head bent over her food, his curiosity bubbled to the surface, and Tora couldn't resist asking. "Why?"

She looked up, a question in her gaze. "Why... what?"

"Why would you ignore me, but still brought me lunch?"

Miru blinked. "I still can't believe you could stomach eating onigiri for a week. I wanted to test you." she tried to brush it off, but Tora was having none of it. He cut in to speak in the middle of her laughter.

"But why?"

She fell silent. A part of her feared giving too much if she told the whole truth, yet in a way, she felt as if he deserved as much. She was already hiding her mother's reality away from him. Shifting so she leaned against his shoulder, she picked at her food with her chopsticks, speaking without meeting his eyes. "You were busy, and you seemed to be missing lunch. That just didn't seem healthy."

"You were worried?" a hint of glee in his voice made her look up, and sure enough, Tora was looking down at her with a unabashed smile. She felt herself flush, and looked away without a word. Tora however, was like a dog hounding after a bone. He placed his lunchbox to one side, and turned his chest towards her. "Well, were you?"

She mumbled a response she couldn't quite catch, and he leaned in, his whole upper torso now pressing against her. "What was that?"

"I wasn't at all okay!" Miru replied loudly, turning to glare at him. But perhaps she forgot how close she was, when she turned and her nose almost touched his, the girl started, and toppled her lunchbox to the side. Tora looked in display at the scattered food, and then turned forlorn eyes at her. "I spent the morning making that!"

Miru's eyes widened. " _You_ made that? I thought you got your household cook to make it!" she turned to watch it too, guilt seeping into her features. "I'm sorry, I'll-" she started to move to clean it up, when a strong arm wrapped itself around her waist, dragging her to sit on Tora's lap in a manner that had her legs wound around his waist, her shorts riding higher to reveal more of her creamy thighs. Tora pulled her flush against his body, a sneaky grin on his lips.

"It's alright, don't clean it up. The birds can have a feast. You can eat mine." he murmured. Suddenly, Miru was made aware of the highly compromising position they were in, and her cheeks turned a crimson red. Her palms on his chest felt almost electrocuted by his heat, and words deserted her, much to his amusement. Pushing a stray strand of her black hair aside, he ducked to look into her blue eyes, and smiled. "Is my spitfire shy?"

She scowled at him, but before she could cook up a response, he had pressed his lips to hers in a teasing kiss, brushing his tongue deftly against her bottom lip. "I much prefer your apologies this way."


	9. Chapter 9

"Who is he, Miru?"

"No one, Nee-chan. He-"

"Don't lie to me, little sister. I've known you long enough to know when you're distracted. You've never been like this at one of these parties before. It's why Father had always favored you when it came to mingling with them."

The sisters were dressed in their finest for the SME Tokyo Charity Ball that Hanazawa Jin had dragged them to. Hosted by an online business tycoon who worked closely with Hanazawa's company, Riyo has been asked to keep the man's son company. Luckily for her, said son was only ten, and needed more of a babysitter then a companion. Miru, on the other hand, had been told to get Akamine Shoichi on her good side. The son of the gold company owner had always been pompous and arrogant, and Miru had breathed a sigh of relief when he had wandered off to get some drinks. Although with the looks her father was shooting her, she knew she should get back to him soon.

Miru should've known her sister was more observant then she showed. When she had stepped next to Riyo to join her in helping the young Toshiaki play with his smartphone, her sister had lost no time in questioning.

But could you really blame Miru? The room had hushed when Tora had stepped in, only picking up again as he blended in to the crowd to speak to others, but Miru had found it hard to drag her eyes away from him. In his gray suit, black shirt and cobalt blue tie, it merely served to make Tora look more dashing. Her chest clenched as she saw young girls her age all over him, yet she knew it would be a death wish both for her and her mother should she act upon her jealousy. Jealous? Why yes, Miru was definitely jealous, but acting upon it was a different story entirely. Lucky thing that Akamine Shoichi had been so full of himself, he barely noticed how Miru only absentmindedly nodded at his proclamations of his excellence. The few times his eyes had met hers through the gentle crowd of people, it was like electricity shot right through her spine. She was reminded of the past week where they had stole into the campus grounds, finding hidden spots to get into each other's arms. But with the long study week just beginning yesterday before their end-of-term tests, Miru found it hard to make a plausible excuse to escape her house and see him. Not that he was making it easy, with the amount of texts he sends her.

 _'It can't be that hard. Isn't your father at work?'_

 _'I'll send a messenger requiring your presence at Igarashi Corporation, he can't refuse that.'_

 _'I don't give a damn if he uses you to get to me. You can't expect me to go a whole week not seeing you!'_

He was as nonsensical as he was clingy, Miru was beginning to realize. Yet as sweet and amusing as she found it, she knew she couldn't risk seeing him. While he may not mind, the idea that her father would use her and their relationship as a leverage to grow his company and to earn more money made her sick in the stomach, and she refused to become that cliche couple. So she had rebuffed his requests multiple times over. Yet through none of their conversations had either of them brought up the fact that they would both be attending this ball, so his entrance had come as a surprise.

"Miru-san? Looks like the band is starting up. Would you care for a dance?"

She internally cursed as she recognized the self-praising, too confident tone of Shoichi, but swallowed her scowl, and instead pasted a smile on her face as she turned, to place her hand in his offered, upturn palm. His touch was unlike Tora's, in so many way. It was clammy to his warm, insincere to his passionate, and so many other things that was wrong. When had she started comparing all the other guys she met to the standard of Igarashi Tora?

The string quartet struck up a waltz, and Miru cringed internally as he placed a palm on her waist, taking up the other in his hands. How could one's hold feel so insincere, mocking even?

"Not much is known about you, Hanazawa Miru. Is there a reason why your father keeps you such a secret?"

She shivered at the slime in his tone. Miru was used to this by now. She was a mystery by their standards, and there was something about mysteries that these arrogant asses of the corporate step-ladder liked to unravel. As if once they could figure out the enigma that she was, they would be able to have an insight of how her father works, or have a leverage to somehow ruin her family. While Miru had no qualms on ruining her stepfather, she also knew Riyo was held closely to the family name in the eyes of the tabloids, press and society, and she didn't want her sister to face that sort of scrutiny. It was why she had kept her mouth so wisely shut the whole time, ever since the first time Hanazawa Jin had brought him with Riyo to a society function, yet never saw fit to explain her appearance in the ten years she had been with them.

"I simply choose to, Shoichi-san. I'm not one who likes to speak or be on a public stage." her reply was smooth, a staged one she had practiced many times before. It was why she was always so tired after one of these functions. Putting up a facade to protect her sister and her mother was tiring, mentally and physically.

He cocked a smirk that made Miru feel like introducing his cheek to her palm in the fastest manner possible. "Ah, but that can't be true. Afterall, the lives of us, the offspring of the socialites in Tokyo, makes it difficult." he paused, and then leered. "Unless its a secret that no one should ever find out. Is that so, Miru-san? Your blue eyes are an enigma. They are beautiful. Makes every guy in this room want a chance with you."

Usually, that was where Miru snapped. When they got ridiculously invasive and completely disregarded the feelings and privacy of others, especially when she knew without a doubt that he had no innocence behind the meaning of his last sentence. Her blue eyes flashed with her anger, and her whole body tightened, ready to step back with a haughty glare, had someone not cut in, swiftly plucking her hand out of his hold, and nudging so the palm that lay on her waist dropped back to his side. When she looked up, her chest constricted when she saw the imposing figure of Tora, a smile on his lips, but a dangerous look that Miru knew meant harm, directed at Akamine Shoichi's baffled look.

"I believe this dance is mine. I had asked Miru-san, long before the dance began."

Without waiting for a reply, Tora wrapped an arm around her waist, picked up the limp hand and resumed the steps, completely ignoring how baffled her previous partner was as he focused his attention solely on her. The hard look in his eyes softened when he saw her round lips, large blue eyes, and Tora chuckled. "I have missed you, Miru-chan. Did you think I wouldn't come and save you? It was obvious he was bothering you."

His words had an instantaneous effect on Miru. It was beginning to get ridiculous, how easily he could soften her heart, after she's spent years on making sure that nothing that happened within the high standards of upper-class society in Tokyo, yet it took him so little to get under her skin. Her icy blue eyes warmed at his words, and Miru finally relented with a smile, forgetting the rest of the ballroom existed as they sunk back into the bubble he had created around them. "We did agree to stay out of the spotlight, Tora."

"Ah, but this is a public setting. There is nothing wrong with the Igarashi heir dancing with Hanazawa Jin's daughter. Your father would be delighted, I'm sure." he murmured in return, only to receive a glare from Miru. "Sorry, I know you don't like it, but I really don't see what's wrong with it."

Without realizing it, Miru had allowed Tora to lead her to a hidden alcove, with an opened window that led to a deserted balcony, and that was where Tora stopped. He never let go of her hand however, instead tightening his grip around her, pulling her through the opened window to step on to the silent space in the dark. Once there, as the sounds of laughter, clinking glass and soft string music faded into the background, Tora pulled Miru against him, and wrapped him in his embrace, breathing a sigh of relief when she hesitated before wrapping her own arms around his waist.

"I... It's a pet peeve I have, Tora." she murmured against where her head was nestled in the crook of his neck. "I... I don't want to be someone, just another one who uses you for their own benefit."

With her ear nestled near his chest, she heard the rumble of his chest as Tora chuckled, his fingers caressing her back. "If it's you, I don't think I'll mind, sweetheart."

Miru scowled, shaking her head. "No. I... genuinely do like you, Tora-san." she could feel herself flush, and kept her head bent even as Tora leaned back to stare down at her in delighted surprise.

"Do you think you could repeat that?"

"Sorry, my offer only goes once." she muttered, still keeping her head bent downwards so her dark hair formed a curtain around her face. Tora chuckled again, and used his hands to dredge it through her hair, holding it back. "Besides," she muttered beneath her breathe. "It isn't as if you're very forthcoming in your own feelings anyway."

Tora's eyes widened, and in a sudden streak of posessiveness, he dragged her against his body, so close that a slip of paper couldn't even be passed through them. With the sudden jerk, Miru squeaked when she lost her balance, the only way of keeping upright being to place her palms flush on Tora's chest, her chin now jerked upwards so she was looking up at him. "What did you say, my precious?" he drawled, brushing a finger under her chin. Miru flushed, scowling.

"That you are too obvious that you had a thing for Usui-san's fiancee." Miru retorted sharply.

Tora grinned, brushing a finger softly across her lips, delicate and pink as they were. "Is that jealousy I detect in your voice, sweetheart?"

"It's a fact."

"I did say you're mine." he replied.

"That's what people called possessiveness, Igarashi-kaichou." Miru replied confidently giving him a swaggering smile. Tora raised his brows.

"Oh, is that how you want to play it now?" he replied. Before Miru could reply, she was pressed against the balcony railing reaching to the middle of her back, and found herself with Tora's lips moulded over hers. His tongue teased and licked, his teeth nibbled first at the bottom of her lip, and then trailing down to her earlobe. As much as Miru wanted to deny him the pleasure, she found her muscles weakening, her bones melting the more he teased and nibbled. Her arms instinctively went around his neck, and she squeaked when she felt him carry her upwards, his hands under her thighs to lift her up to sit on the railing, before it held her firmly against him around her waist. The lips trailed downwards to her neck, where Miru felt a shiver travel down her spine as he slowly paid attention to the sensitive skin there between her collarbones.

"Then what do you call this, my precious?" he huskily whispered, when Miru had whimpered against his ministrations. When she opened her eyes to meet his, she saw flames making his golden eyes look molten, as if he was holding back a great deal more. For once, Miru found herself wordless, not a clue of how to answer him. "I like you, if you have to hear it. I like you a whole _lot_ more then what's safe. And I'm... terrified that I won't have you with me. Misaki-chan was an enigma, but you... you're home, and I'm begging you to let me come back home."

Something within Miru finally gave in, and she bit her lip, tightening her hold around his neck to drag his lips back to hers, kissing him as if he was air and she wouldn't survive without him.

"What makes you think that I wouldn't have you?" Miru asked, a sad smile on her lips. _Because if you knew where I was from, and what secret is hidden in the Hanazawa mansion, maybe you'll be the one that won't want to have anything to do with me_.

"Because you're perfect." Miru scoffed, about to rebuff that statement, but Tora pressed his finger against her lip, shushing her as he continued. "You're kind, caring, and a surprise at every turn I take. You're what I need to remain _human_ in this world of money, faux friendships and cheats and lies. You keep me _sane_ , Miru-chan. Please let me stay."

Staring at him as he spoke in earnest, his fingers cradling her cheek, thumb caressing her skin, Miru choked a sob, watching him earnestly press a kiss to her forehead and then her eyes. "I'll stay if you'll stay too, Tora."

He chuckled, but the relief was palpable radiating from him, as he collected her back in his arms, and pressed a deep, searing kiss on her lips. "I'll never leave, sweetheart, never."

* * *

They had ended the party late last night, and had only gotten home and into bed around three in the morning. So when her door crashed open and some body jumped on her bed early the next morning, Miru groaned and rolled over, grumbling. The body was insistent however, until she finally cracked her sleep-crusted eyes open to find the worried face of her elder sister, so similar to hers except for the blue eyes.

"What do you want, Riyo?" she asked in a grumble. She had never been much of a morning person, more so if she was rudely awakened from her sleep. Riyo knew that, but it seemed that she did not care for today, as she tossed the paper with the front page folded up at Miru, who blearily picked it up and stared at it, trying to make sense of the swimming words through her sleepy gaze.

"Wha-"

"Papa wants to see you. What have you done, Miru-chan?"

And that was when the words finally made sense to her, in bold, large black printed letters across the Tokyo Shimbun.

 _ **Headlines: Igarashi heir seen with Hanazawa mysterious daughter. Sparks of love starting at the SME Tokyo Charity Ball?**_


	10. Chapter 10

Expectation creates frustration. It was a well known fact, yet many humans fall prey to it simply because they find it innately impossible to expect nothing out of people. Igarashi Tora always liked to believe that he was no normal human being. He was above humanly feelings, and picked his partners, his interests based upon the benefits they could give and provide to his corporation, and his own person. It was a mantra to himself, that to conquer frustration, he always focused on the outcome and not the obstacles.

But for the first time ever, he can no longer tell if this frustration of his in the name of Hanazawa Miru was killing him or making him stronger.

The morning the news had blown up all across the Tokyo Shimbun, his phone rang off the hook and his doorsteps were swarmed. Tora cursed the fact that he was a socialite, and how the media was so annoyingly intrusive on his personal life. But he also knew why they were so interested. His relationships had always been high profile. Tora had no qualms about flaunting his latest conquest, and they were usually tall, gorgeous, some form of model, or actress. His brief interest in Ayuzawa Misaki was not significant, because by then even he knew that Misaki was more because it was someone Usui liked, and Tora had always seen Usui as his closest rival in a world full of inadequate, spoonfed children of rich people.

But Miru was different. He bristled at the mere thought that the media would sink their claws into her, and he fussed over how she was doing. Yet here he was two days after the news came out, and all he could do was stare at his phone as he was redirected to the voicemail yet again, for the hundredth time. He's never stopped calling, and he's left a million messages, but got nothing in return. He sent Maki to check on the Hanazawa household, yet while tens of reporters and cameramen milled around the doorstep, it looked as if the house itself was deserted.

Where could she be?

"Who is this girl?" his father had asked, the morning itself. Tora found himself feeling like the five-year old version of himself, after he had broken an antique vase. But this time, it was something way more worth to fight for.

"Miru. Hanazawa Jin's mysterious youngest daughter." he had replied tightly, not meeting his father's eyes. He was afraid of what he would see that. For once, Tora was not even afraid of disappointing his father, but in fact was more worried that the elder Igarashi would reject his want for Miru.

"Not much is known about her, is it?" he murmured, and he heard the rifling of paper. Tora looked up, and furrowed his brows.

"Did you set a private investigator on her?" Tora was surprised to hear how he hissed, irritated at how Miru's privacy was violated.

"Do I not have the right? She was seen with my son." his father raised a brow, as if challenging Tora. He remained silent, and the gray-haired Igarashi father continued. "Not that it helped much. The only thing I got was that her birth certificate came from England. Her father is indeed Hanazawa Jin, but there is no news of who her mother is, or why did she end up in Tokyo at fifteen." he paused, and Tora met his eyes as he looked up. "Why her?"

The silence was almost deafening. The question was ambiguous, his father's expression neutral. But for the first time, Tora had no doubts about his answer. "She is everything this world is not." His father raised a brow in question. "She is caring where others take too much. She refuses to lie in a world where trust is based on lies. She is genuine and true to herself. She... she hides something, but I trust her. I trust that whatever she hides, she has a good reason for it."

His father's eyes looked back to the papers, and he closed the folder. "Go and find her then, Tora. But remember, you hold the responsibility of the Igarashi Corporation on your shoulders."

He had nodded and ran out, but try as he might, it was as if Miru had suddenly dropped off the face of earth. It did not help matters as he was hounded by reporters every corner he turned, so much so that he was beginning to wonder if his family lawyer was good enough to get him out of charges of manslaughter.

Frustration does not even begin to explain what Tora felt right about now.

Letting the phone drop to the carpeted floor of his bedroom, he ran a hand through his hair, growling at the back of his throat. The evening seemed tranquil, almost peaceful to a fault, yet he couldn't seem to brain it. How could it be so peaceful, when it felt like his whole world was no longer spinning on its axis? How cold it spin, when the axis of his world is no longer by his side. Somehow when he had left her that night, he... he should've known better.

His phone suddenly rang, and Tora all but dived off the chair to grab the vibrating phone, pressing the receiver to his ear. "Maki? Any news?"

* * *

"I've told you before and I will remind you again, Hanazawa-sama. I refuse to."

There was a tone in finality in Miru's voice that made Riyo nervously worry her fingers, but her stepsister was more then determined at this point, and she could see the anger in their father mounting the longer he stayed silent. And when he finally spoke, Riyo wasn't sure which was worst. "What do you mean, Miru?"

"It's enough. I have went through and heard all of your plans. I brought in the son's of Akaishi and the eldest daughter of Toriyama, I even spoke to the two twin sons of Daiki for you. But Igarashi Tora is one person you will not get."

"And why is that?" her father asked in a menacing tone. For that was how Hanazawa Jin ruled, with an iron fist. He had cared less for Riyo's own mother. It was why Akiyama Airi had left when her son had been stillborn and he simply didn't care enough, only raged at how he had no one to train as his heir. Added on to the fact that she suffered post-natal depression, and she had eventually left, untraceable, leaving a heartbroken and abandoned Riyo to fend for herself. The fault of her mother was eventually out on Riyo, who from then on was forced to do everything an heir was to do, on top of the duties of a wife of a businessman. Miru had been the only one who would understand her, and contrary to popular belief, Riyo and Miru were close as stepsisters. Now, she feared losing her only lifeline.

Miru had remained silent at the question. However when she eventually looked up, there was a steely determination in there that surprised even her father. Riyo bit her lip when she saw Miru clench her fists by the side of her denim cladded thighs. "Because enough is enough, Hanazawa-sama. I am your daughter, not your tool. And if you will not help my mother, then I'm happy to return to England. She will at least get her help there."

"Are you even sure she can travel?" he sneered. He had always had a hold over them both. Miru, with her mother, and Riyo by threatening to disown her and throw her out.

But Miru was prepared. Ever since she had arrived on the doorstep of the Hanazawa household with her mother at fifteen, Miru had ferreted away the pocket money her father had given her every month to spend. It was a meagre amount, just enough to get lunch, but Miru did what she could. Now, she had enough to hire a nurse to care for her mother on the plane to return, to ensure that the woman who had a failing kidney would survive the eleven hour flight from Haneda Airport to Heathrow, as well as first class tickets for her mother.

So with a stubborn edge to her chin, Miru looked up and nodded. "For all that was worth, I thank you for housing Mother and I during the time when I was too young to work and she was too weak to take care of me, but I think I have let this go on for too far, Hanazawa-sama. You may be my father by blood, but you were never my father in nature. You care too much about power and money, then when you die, I don't think anyone will attend your funeral. I will, but merely to thank you for the 7 years you have cared for me under you roof. Call you father, I will never." she turned on her heels, and her gaze fell on Riyo. Miru's heart constricted when she saw the horrified look on her sister's face, and instinctively strode over to pull Riyo in an embrace, which she felt her sister fall against her.

"I'm sorry, nee-chan. I'll come back for you, I promise." Miru whispered, when she heard Riyo give a sharp intake of breathe.

"Don't worry about me. I... I'll be fine. Take care of Cheryl-obasama. I... I'll miss you." Riyo replied shakily under her breathe. Miru squeezed her tight, stepped back, and shot one last look at the wrinkled-face of her father, who gave his best at looking stoic.

"If you can still find it in you, find your wife, apologize for the loss of your son, and see if you can get back the one daughter who still wants to remain by your side. Nee-chan is too good for you, but if I hear you doing anything _wrong_ by her, I will come back and break your nose." Miru scowled, turning on her heel to march off.

Within the next four hours, she had her flight tickets booked, and a nurse arranged to meet them at the airport. Entering her mother's darkened room, her chest constricted when she saw the her mother's contented form curled up with a book on a sofa. An attack of early arthritis when she had been twenty had resulted in Cheryl Hamilton resorting to a permanent usage of pain medications to deal with the constant inflammation of her joints. But prolonged consumption of them led to her being diagnosed with kidney cancer when Miru had turned twelve. Her insurance covered her operation to remove one kidney, but when scans showed the other kidney being infected as well, that was when Cheryl knew she had no choice. Miru knew that Hanazawa Jin had been her mother's final hope to save her daughter, and had expected to leave, but Miru refused to let her mother leave.

And so Cheryl had stayed as an invalid in the Hanazawa household, happy that her daughter got a life, as long as Miru was taken care for.

And Miru was thankful for her mother's thoughtfulness, but enough was enough. As she entered the dim room and saw her mother stirring in the couch she was curled up on with a book, her blonde hair falling over her shoulders in her robe, and her blue eyes lighting up when she saw her daughter, Miru dashed forward, right into her mother's waiting embrace.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Cheryl asked in her British accent, caressing Miru's hair. Hearing that familiar endearment, and reminded of how Tora often used it on her, Miru bit her lip to prevent a sob from escaping. She shook her head, hugging her mother tightly. "Miru? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Mother." she finally replied in English, thankful the dim room hid her tear-rimmed eyes. "It's time to go home."

"Home? Bu-"

"England, Mom. I want to go back to London. I have the money. I'll find a job. Let's go."

* * *

Haneda Airport was a mess, airports always was. It was why Igarashi Tora never took chartered flights, and always had his own private helicopter or jets. The Igarashi family rented a hangar in Narita Airport, and rarely had to come to Haneda. It was a fact that Tora now cursed, as he navigated the throngs of people either going on business or leisure trips, with their bags and trolleys. He had narrowly avoided colliding into a lady holding bags so high above her eyes, she can't even see where she was going, yet he could not spy a single dark head.

 _"Go to Haneda, now."_

 _"Why?" he had asked Maki over the phone, even though he had his suspicions the moment he heard his friend's words. A sense of dread washed over him._

 _"I have reports saying she has bought two tickets to Heathrow Airport just an hour ago. One first-class ticket, another economy class." Maki explained. Immediately, question marks appeared in his head. Two? Who was she leaving with? Did she have a secret lover? Or was she secretly engaged to someone and this was their honeymoon? Tora hated to be suspicious, but it was in his nature, to survive in a world of cutthroats at business._

 _"Stop wondering, Tora, and just go. You'll find out once you get there. I got your car waiting for you. Look for the departure hall. Catch before she enters."_

Before she enters. _Before she enters_. How was he supposed to do that if he can't even find her? He had been searching the departure hall for half an hour already. Has she even gotten here? He had checked the flight schedules, and the check-in counter for the flight she supposedly was on had closed 20 minutes ago. Where was she? His eyes roamed wildly around, and Tora did a double-take when he spotted a familiar figure with dark hair, dressed in a white shirt and denim shorts walking into the departure hall.

And he roared. "Hanazawa Miru, you stop right there!"

It was as if time froze, when she turned, and her blue eyes widened through the glass doors when she caught sight of who it was. Panic sprang in her eyes, but Tora wasted no time in sprinting, almost pushing people out of his way, and would've dashed through the doors had he not been stopped by immigration officers.

"Apologies, Igarashi-sama, but you are not allowed in-"

"Let me in! I need to get to her." he struggled, almost embarrassing had he not been desperate to get the slight girl in his arms. But the immigration officers were unrelenting, refusing to even heed his threats. Finally, Tora sprang out of their grasps, and scowled. Only then, did he noticed the wide-eyed look of a blonde, elder lady in a wheelchair being held by Miru. And his world froze again, when he made the connection between the cerulean eyes staring at him, so similar to a pair he could stare in forever.

"Miru?" he finally murmured, now a question.

Hearing his tone, she sighed. Miru knew she owed him an explanation, and now was a good time as any. Leaning down, she whispered for her mother to wait for her, before walking towards the border between departure lounge and hall, to step out and face him, meeting his gaze with hers and a smile. "I'm sorry, Tora. I have to go."

Pain seared through his chest at his words. He frowned, unable to comprehend. "Why?" his words came out hoarse, pain making his voice husky. "And who is that?"

"That... is my mother. Her name is Cheryl Hamilton. It is why my eyes are blue, and why Hanazawa Jin keeps me such an enigma. I'm his illegitimate daughter, a scandalous dalliance he had whilst he was married to Riyo's mother." she said all of this in perfect English that had Tora's eyes bulging, having never seen his Miru so poised, so... British.

"Wh-Who are you?" he asked. It was a question that hurt Miru, but she knew it was a perfectly legitimate question for him.

"I am still me, Tora." she switched back to Japanese. "But I have to go. I... I cannot stay here any longer."

" _Why_?" his anguish now clear as he snatched her hands and squeezed them tightly. "I... I cannot let-"

"Please, don't make me stay. My... my father wants you. And I refuse to be the tool for him to hurt you, for him to take your empire down simply because I like you. I cannot give him that leverage. I have dreams. I would like to chase them."

"I'll give them to you. I'll give them all, just don-"

"I want to get them myself, Tora. Promise me, promise me you will not let my father do a thing against your firm, and your father, Tora. But I will not be a part of it. My mother needs me, and her home is in England. I... I have to go back there, for her sake."

Tora could feel her determination to return, yet the pain in him refused to let her go. He tried to retain his grip as she pried his fingers away, but eventually Miru succeeded, keeping her hands behind her again, as she brought her watery blue eyes to meet his, a sad smile on her lips. "We are young, Tora-kun. I promise you I'll take care of myself in London, if you do the same here. And... one day, I promise we'll see each other again."

"I will come look for you, Miru. Don't you hope you can run away from me." Tora growled, the ferocity of his threat dimmed when a tear escaped down his cheek, and how his voice cracked as he finished. "I cannot let you go. Not you too."

"You don't have to. But I'll be waiting." Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a wrapped package, and pressed it into his hands. "I was going to have this on the plane, but here. Have this on your way home. Goodbye, Tora-kun."

With that, she took a step back, spun on her heel and went through the departure gates, taking her mother's wheelchair. And as she walked away, Tora could only stare as she disappeared behind the gates. He held on, his fists clenched as he headed for where his driver awaited for him. Keeping his head bent, his golden eyes swam in tears he refused to let materialized in sobs. It wasn't until he sat in the backseat, with the divider between him and the driver draw, did he unclench his fists. And the sob finally broke, when he saw the crushed umeboshi onigiri sitting in his palm.


	11. Chapter 11

**2 years later**

Despite it being cold as hell, Miru had always somehow loved the winter weather in London. Her small apartment near Westminister Bridge provided wonderful heating, and for the hundredth time since she had moved to London, Miru marveled at how easily she had been able to find an apartment with an amazing deal at a location such as Westminister Bridge. It was a place famous for being expensive, so it had really been a stroke of luck for her. Cheryl Hamilton had eventually succumbed to her kidney cancer a year after they had returned to London. Miru had been heartbroken, but happy at how she was able to return her mother to her home country, and that Cheryl had died with a smile on her face, in St. Thomas Hospital near the apartment she had already been renting since then.

Miru herself had started attending writing courses once everything had been settled upon their return to London. She worked morning's in a childcare centre, and spent her nights at a learning centre. She had three more years to complete her course, but Miru had been lucky again, to have received a scholarship paying her full ride to school, so long as she kept her grades up.

Come to think of it, she's been really lucky since she came back.

"Millie, are you alright?" the voice of her colleague Gina, made her turn, and gave a sheepish grin. Londoners had issues pronouncing her given Japanese-sounding name, so Miru had eventually settled when they called her Millie.

"Sorry, I was wool-gathering. Are we done for the day?" she asked, pushing the last box of toys and playthings into it's storage cupboard.

Her red-headed colleague grinned, and nodded. "Denzel's mother wasn't late in picking him up for once, so you can go. Get yourself a good dinner, would you? You're always rushing after work to get to class on time. Lay off the sandwiches. You'll turn into a ham yourself."

Miru laughed. She laughed easier after her return to London, no longer fearing the repercussions of her father should she forget to toe the line, or if she had spoken out of turn. Occasionally, she worried about her sister, but she feared remaining in contact, for fear of how Hanazawa Jin would turn out. So she kept her silence. She didn't even read the news from Japan, but the reason for that was due to someone else entirely.

She would be lying if she said she didn't miss a certain arrogant heir. The way he smirked, grinned and even the way he claimed ownership over her, the way he made her laugh, Miru found her dreams surrounded by him sometimes. She couldn't help but wonder if things would've been different had she stayed? Would he have made true on his promise, gave in to whatever Hanazawa Jin would ask of him, just to keep her by his side? Would they have grown bitter? Or would he have loved her still?

It was futile to refute the fact that she did love him, not when after 2 years, her heart still jumped whenever she saw his name appearing on the news. She always scrolled past it immediately, or switched the channel. It was silly, but after 2 years, she couldn't bear hearing his name, for all Miru wanted to do was return right back to him.

So she avoided all mentions of him entirely.

Pulling on her red down jacket over her simple black shirt and denim jeans, the girl shivered as Gina locked the door behind them, waved her hand at her colleague before stuffing her hands in her pockets and heading down the street towards the direction of the subway that she usually took to her classes. Filled with Londoners in their rush to get home, she found herself grabbing a hand-rail, leaning against the doors for the twenty minute ride.

Would she go back to Japan? Perhaps some day. She did miss Riyo. But she had gotten a new number when she arrived in England, and never contacted anyone she had knew in Japan after that. Riyo was a sacrifice she was reluctant to make, but had no choice. She loved her sister, but the country itself held too many memories she never wanted to remember.

* * *

"Where is she?"

The golden eyes of his friend burned with an intensity that had Takumi Usui raise a brow in interest. While they were not your commonplace 'friends' per say, they had an interesting rapport. Takumi still did not place a 100% of his trust on the Miyabigaoka graduate and former student president, but they had a somewhat complacent relationship. What he had not expect however, was for him to come storming into his office the first day of his official housemanship in the St. Thomas Hospital.

"Who exactly are you speaking of, Igarashi? Besides, isn't today your graduation day?" he asked in curiosity. He knew because his fiancee had told him, she herself just so happened to be in Tokyo on the day.

"I applied to graduate in absence. And you promised me you'll keep an eye out for her, so where is she?" he grounded out.

In the 2 years after he had let Miru slip through his fingers and walk out of his arms through the departure hall, Tora had yet to spend a single day without thinking of her. But he was a man of his word. She had said she wanted some time to be by herself, and he had let her. When Takumi had informed him of her mother's death, he had got himself on his jet, flying over immediately. Yet he couldn't bring himself to go up to her. And so, Tora had hovered on the peripheral boundaries of the funeral in which not many attended. She had seemingly cut down the time, and Cheryl Hamilton was buried quickly, two days after she was pronounced dead.

But he had to prove himself.

So he left, after ensuring that she was well taken care of. The day she had left, he had sent a text to Takumi, telling him that he, Igarashi Tora would forever be in his debt if he would keep an eye over her as long as she was in London. A week later, he received a text from Takumi saying that he had found her lodgings and a job, and that her mother had been admitted into a room in the nearest hospital to her lodgings.

After that day, Tora had not heard from her again. He periodically sent people to check on her, but he promised her two things. One, that he would take care of himself. That involved him doing well and graduating from Keio University with flying colors. Last week, his results came in. Igarashi Tora was acknowledged as valedictorian of his year, achieving the Dean's Recognition award.

Now, he's come to claim his second promise: That he would come and look for her, and that she had no chance to run away from him.

"Where is she?" he repeated himself, when Takumi Usui stared at him from his seat behind his table. Even as a new doctor starting his housemanship in the hospital in Winchester, Takumi Walker, as he was known here, was already a revered figure. Top of his class, with the Walker family as his sponsors, rumors still followed him here, but there was no doubt he would make a name for himself the moment he got his doctor's license. But none of them changed the fact that he was and still is one of Tora's biggests nemesis, a person that was both his best friend and his biggest enemy, and the only person who knew where Hanazawa Miru currently was.

"You told me to keep an eye on her. But you didn't ask me to stalk her. How would I know?" Takumi replied, a sly smile.

Tora growled, stalking closer to put his palms menacingly on his table. "No jokes, Takumi. I'm in no mood for this. I have waited 2 years, 5 days and twenty-two hours for this. Now _where is she_."

Takumi raised a brow, a laugh brimming in his eyes. "Is that desperation I smell, Igarashi? I do believe I have the upper hand now, don't I?"

"Don't be an arse, Usui, and just tell him already would you." a female, tough voice floated from the open door. Tora turned, and raised a brow when he saw Ayuzawa Misaki walk in. On her left ring finger, the huge diamond glittered, given to her just a week earlier the day Takumi had gotten his housemanship position upon their engagement.

The change in mood for Takumi Usui was obvious, the moment his fiancee walked in. In no time at all he shot forward and engulfed her in his arms, swinging her around despite her wriggling to get away from him. "Misa-channnn! When did you get here?" he squealed in obvious delight. The doctor-in-training had never been one to hide how he felt for his girlfriend, quite the opposite from Misaki herself.

When she finally managed to entangle herself from his embrace, she rolled her eyes, but one could see the affection in the way she remained close to him. Misaki did, however, turn her eyes to Tora, who was growing increasingly agitated as time went on.

"We don't know where she is exactly, Igarashi, but she has been taking night classes at a learning centre. It's a four-year course, so she should be on her way there now." she explained briefly, allowing Takumi to twined their fingers together. "She takes the subway there, last Usui checked. You can go that way if you want. Now if you would leave, I'm catching a flight in two hours, so I would appreciate it if you would leave my fiance and I alone so we don't have to see your scowling face before I leave to Russia."

And with that, Tora found himself ceremoniously and figuratively tossed out of the room. Not that he minded, as he processed the information. Maki had told him the last he asked, that Miru was working at a childcare centre. The fact that she was taking classes was news to him. What classes did she take? What interests did she have? Did she make friends while in London? Has she met anyone new here?

That last thought made his blood boil, involuntarily clenching his fists. While many had thrown themselves at him, Tora had never batted them an eyelash. He had no interest. No one else had managed to capture his attention as much as the blue-eyed, black haired Japanese enigma that he had met, and he wanted no one else. Miru had remained constantly on his thoughts over the two years, and he now yearned to get her back. But he never thought if she wanted him back.

 _'No matter. I will get her back.'_


	12. Chapter 12

He felt like a stalker. Was he a stalker? Oh wouldn't the media in Tokyo eat this up if they saw this, that Igarashi Tora was skulking around a corner in his coat, staring intently at a lit up glass door entrance to a study centre. He shivered in the cold, shuffling his feet in his attempt to keep warm, but his eyes never left the door. What time did Usui said her class finished again? Ten? Eleven? Why was she even out this late? Was it safe for her? But it's already half past ten, was she alright? Did something happen?

Just as Tora was about to go from berating himself for sounding like an overly paranoid parent to barging right in to the centre and demand to see Miru, the door swung open, and it was as if he was coming home, when her smiling face emerged.

Trussed up in her army green winter jacket, even with her face buried nose-deep into the scarf she had around her neck, Tora wouldn't have missed the pair of blue eyes for anything. She had changed her hairstyle, he noticed. It was shorter now, with no bangs, and instead they fell by the side of her face, making her look younger yet wiser all at the same time. She tucked her hands in her pockets, and Tora noticed her carrying a duffel bag she carried on one shoulder, that seemed heavy. Suddenly, it was as if he forgot how to move, when she lifted her gaze, and his eyes met hers. It was like those cliche moments in movies as the world stopped, and the camera panned around the two of them as the cold breeze of London picked up, tossing her scarf to a side to reveal a pair of rosy pink lips gaping in surprise.

"Tora?"

His heart raced when he heard his name on her lips, a voice that he had sorely missed over the past two years. He found himself unwittingly smiling, as he tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat with a satisfied smirk that Miru hadn't seen in a long, long time.

"Hello, sweetheart." he drawled, as he stepped closer so they now stood chest to chest, at a distance which forced Miru to tilt her head upwards to look at him. "I told you I wouldn't let you go."

* * *

Two years may not be long for some, but when Miru had first laid eyes on Tora that night as she had finished her class, she was hit by a force of just how _long_ 2 years had been to go by without seeing him. Because as much as she would like to deny it, she can keep herself as busy as she could, caring for her mother, working at the childcare centre, studying for her degree, but everytime she stopped, her thoughts would involuntarily float to him.

It seemed almost surreal that he now sat in her living room as she stood over a bubbling kettle. Miru poured the liquid into two mugs, a teabag in each, before picking both and placing on in front of Tora, who quirked his lips in an amused smile. He picked it up, and raised a brow at her. "Tea? My, 2 years have turned you English, has it." Tora teased, laughter clear in his eyes.

Miru gave an amused smile, shrugging. "They aren't far off when it comes to tea. It's wonderful on a night as cold as this." she retorted easily, before silence came again. What did one say to someone she had consciously left two years ago? Did she apologize? Was it to presumptuous to tell him she had missed him? She was the one who left, what right did she have to him anyway? But he had said he came back for her. He called her sweetheart. That nickname made her chest ache all the more, for she had often dreamed of hearing it again. Watching him from the corner of her eye with his dark hair that was slightly longer then she remembered it, her fingers tingled to brush the stray lock over his eyes. In his jeans and black sweater, even surrounded by English men with their accent and blond hair and blue eyes, somehow none of them could hold a light to the poised, elegant way in which Igarashi Tora held himself.

"Are you good, Tora-san?" she couldn't help but asking. Had he gotten married? Had he met someone new?

"No." he replied, an answer that made Miru raise her brow in question.

"I haven't been _good_ since the day you left, Miru. I let you go then, but I'm not about to do so now. I got my business degree, and in two years time, my father will retire and hand the business over to me." he placed his mug now, determination steeling his dark brown gaze. "You owe me an explanation, at least."

She paused, noting the stubborn tone in his voice. But she knew she owed him that much. Biting her lip, she leaned back in the sofa she had curled her feet under, wrapping her fingers around her mug. Blue eyes stared at the depths of the golden liquid. "My mother is Cheryl Hamilton, a stage performer in London. Hanazawa Jin met her on one of his business trips to London, and was smitten with her. I came along not too long after, but by then he had returned to Japan, and had expressly forbidden my mother to ever come look for him. She heeded him. Mom was too nice, she always had been. She raised me on the meagre salary she got as a stage minor, pay which decreased even more when her body had been messed up by being pregnant and giving birth to me. It... wasn't nice. My home then was often in the East End, which is not a nice area, and that is putting it nicely."

"When I was ten, she started losing weight. Very obviously. She used to laugh it off by saying she was on some diet program or other, but she was also very tired. Always tired. It was when she fainted during a performance one day that I found out. Her doctor told me her cancer was on stage three by then, and with what little money we had to pay off her hospital bills at that point, Mom and I were broke." By then, Miru's gaze was no longer focused on Tora, but on her memories a good twenty years ago. The liquid had turned lukewarm, but neither of them paid any attention, for Tora's attention was on her, his expression sombre. He would've probably given his own liver to go back in time and help her at that point in her life, but it wasn't something within his power to do.

So he let her continue.

"Hanazawa Jin was Mom's last choice, and I have a feeling that if it wasn't for me, she wouldn't have went anyway. But I was twelve, and more then anything, I wanted my mother, the only person I had ever known in my life to survive. So when we arrived and he said that in exchange for his care of Mom, I would have to be his model daughter, and Mom would never be able to leave the mansion, we agreed."

"Did he-"

"No. He didn't touch a hair on my head. But watching my own mother cooped up in the mansion everyday... it wasn't something I could do for much longer. I spent two years under his training, and the other eight years as his daughter, the Hanazawa Miru you see in Tokyo, but when he wanted to use me to get to you, I had enough."

"So why did you have to leave?" he finally asked. In the tone, Miru detected the strain in his voice, as if somehow he still thought that it was his fault she had left. She wanted... no, _needed_ to change his thoughts, and turned to earnestly look at him across the coffee table they sat around.

"I spent ten years under his thumb, Tora. I had to find myself again." she paused, hesitation suddenly gripping her. What right did she still have over her? Was he even still here for the reason she thought he was? Or simply because he wanted to get closure and move on? The silence was pregnant before the two of them, before she heard him slide the porcelain mug on the wooden coffee table, feeling more then seeing him get off the couch.

"If that's the case, perhaps I should go."

His footfalls echoed across the wooden planks on the ground as he headed towards the door. Miru yearned for him, missed the gentle way in which he held her, the fierce way in which Tora declared he would protect her from the world. Could she have that again? For her, who had everything taken away from her? Did she have the right?

"Tora!"

It was involuntary, but Miru found she couldn't let him leave. Not this time. Her mug clattered to the floor, and the half-cup of tea left spilt on the rug, but she barely noticed, as she took a step forward. He had paused when she called his name, but did not turn around, so it was to his back that she spoke. "I... I can't say for sure that I know who I am yet, after being moulded by Hanazawa Jin for ten years, but perhaps what's come clear to me this two years is that I-I missed you, Tora-kun. I have... so many things that remind me of you here, it's ridiculous, considering we've never been here together before. I thought that perhaps I was just infatuated with you, because you were the first person who genuinely reminded me of who I could be even as Hanazawa's daughter, but for two years, I think of you almost everyday and I-"

She never got a chance to finish her rambling. Before she knew it, a pair of strong arms had encircled her and Miru felt herself getting dragged to a firm chest, almost having her breathe taken away as a pair of familiar yet foreign lips pressed themselves to her own lips which were opened in a surprised, stolen gasp.

"I've missed you." he breathed against her, when they finally pulled apart. Miru's cheeks were flushed, her heart raced at having Tora so near again. "More then any word in the dictionary can described. I want to see everything that's been your home for the past two years. I just needed to know you wanted me to stay, that you're willing to let me in again."

She bit her lip, and a smile curved her lips upwards. Miru let her arms curl around his waist, involuntary tears rimming her eyes as her fingers gripped his coat. "You never left in the first place."


	13. Chapter 13

London was a city that wound down at nightfall. Unlike Los Angeles or Manhattan, Londoners were more sedate in their lifestyle, preferring quiet evenings in and with the exception of Oxford Street, everywhere else was pretty much peaceful.

Westminister Bridge wasn't too far off, with the occasional car using the dimly lit roads.

Those same streetlights managed to illuminate the apartment Miru stayed in, casting light upon the two bare bodies tangled in her pastel blue sheets. Stirring, she looked over her shoulder when the bare body next to hers shifted. Miru had to consciously remind herself not to flinch when a tousled black head leaned on her shoulder, a satisfied, sleepy smile on his lips.

It wasn't him, just that its been 2 years since she's had any contact with males in general.

Yet here she was, falling into bed with the one guy she could never forget.

"Whats making that pretty head of yours frown, sweetheart?" He asked, alert now when he noticed the furrowed brow.

Hearing that, she quickly arranged her features into a smile, shaking her head. But Tora was well versed in the art of diplomacy and lies, and he raised a brow, pushing himself to fully sit up on his elbows now. "Don't lie to me Miru, what's the matter?"

She paused, considering her answer. "It's just that... where does this... leave us now? I still have my degree to finish, and you..." she trailed off, averting her gaze to the sheets.

The raw hesitation in her voice made Tora's heart ache for his love, but he also knew that her concern was real. He couldn't exactly leave Tokyo either, since he was now in charge of Igarashi Corporation. But he was not about to leave Miru in London again.

"What about this. You come back to Tokyo with me this weekend, and we'll figure out where to go from there?" He asked with a smile, curling his arms around her waist to drag her flush against him, skin tingling as he felt her warmth.

Miru laughed but leaned away as his lips roamed, mock scowling at him. "You can't expect me to drop everything, Tora! What about my classes? And my job?"

"Take leave, tell your lecturer you'll be gone. It's just for a week, sweetheart, please. I need to go back for a meeting, but I can't leave you so quickly again."

Perhaps it was the way he pleaded, with the wounded puppy-dog eyes, or maybe it was just the way he made her squeal with laughter as he peppered kisses from her shoulder all the way to her torso, and even further down, but either ways, Miru found herself grabbing her suitcase later that day.

* * *

"You're leaving for a week?"

Green eyed with rusty brown locks, Darren Holbrooke had been one of her closer classmates during class, who had just so happened to be hanging around as Miru had told her professor that she would be off for a week. He hadn't been happy, but with Miru's stellar performance in results so far, he couldn't complain much.

Smiling as they fell in step heading for the exit, the girl nodded to her friend, pulling her coat on. "Heading back to Tokyo, to... visit some friends."

"That's sudden. You've always said London has become home." He replied with an amused tone, raising a brow. With the ease of two people who had become close friends, he reached over as Miru's hoodie got stuck, and they paused at the opened door as he unhooked the hoodie, and grinned as he pulled it over her head.

"Hey!" She protested when he pulled it over her head and laughed when she pouted. "But yeah, London has become home, but-"

"But her place will always be in Tokyo."

Before any warning could be given, Miru squeaked when she felt herself being yanked to someone's side. Only when she looked up, did she see an irate look on Tora's face as he glared at Darren, his arm firmly anchoring Miru by his side. While others would see the indifferent face Tora often presented to the world, she could see the flames that licked his brown gaze through his eyes. Darren frowned, looking down at Miru. "Are you okay, Millie? Who is this?"

If anything, Tora's grip managed to tighten around her shoulders when he heard the name, another reminder of just how much he has missed over the past two years she had been gone. Doubts and insecurities ran in his head, nevermind the fact that he had just shared the most earth shattering night with Miru just the night before. She had left for work that morning, while he had headed to Igarashi Corporation's London branch to check in, and popped by Takumi's office to disturb him, before grabbing some dinner and heading over to Miru's learning centre, hoping to surprise her with food and walk her back. So imagine his irritation as he shuffled to keep himself warm in the cold, to hear her laughter, turn around and saw some _guy_ playing with her hoodie, laughing _with_ her. Tora never denied that he was a possessive man.

"Her boyfriend." he all but spat, in heavily accented but clearly decipherable English. It didn't take a genius to see that he was jealous.

Miru placed a palm on Tora's arm, but he never even bat an eyelash or gave her a look, eyes trained on Darren's surprised and mildly annoyed face. The brunette Caucasian gave a look at Miru, a flash of what seemed like hurt crossing his green eyes when he saw the way Miru gentle squeezed Tora's forearm. "Does he speak the truth, Millie?"

She hesitated, but nodded in the end. They never exactly placed a name on what they were, but it was obvious Tora wasn't about to give her up. Just hearing it for the first time from his lips caught her by surprise, but she knew that she'd just be playing with fire had she denied it. "In... a way, I guess."

"In a way?" Darren echoed, unconvinced. His green eyes flickered back to Tora's brown ones, and both met each other's gaze without backing down.

"Darren I-," Miru paused, and turned to Tora with a frown, speaking to him in Japanese. "Can you leave us alone for a little? I need to... explain, at least."

"What do you have to explain? And what right does he have over you anyway?" the possessive Japanese male retorted sharply, fire brimming. Miru scowled, glaring at him.

"He doesn't, but neither do you. I owe it to him as a friend, for he knows just as much about me as you did, until last night. Now could you please?" she scolded. While Tora was stubborn, he also recognized Miru's tone. So he took a couple of steps back, just out of the peripheral light of the doorway of the learning centre, leaving Miru to turn back to her friend.

"You know I'm Japanese, Darren. My life is... a whole lot more complicated then what you guys can imagine." Miru gave a watery smile, shifting her weight on her feet as she continued. She didn't want to give Darren a chance to speak, and judging from the bleak look in his eyes, it would be something that would make the situation a whole lot more difficult. "Tora, that's his name. He means... alot to me. More then I can explain, in ways people wouldn't understand."

"Millie, I-"

"I'm returning to Japan with him, but it is also for me to see if I would want to go home with him. He and I... I don't think we can do without the other."

As if some form of reluctant admittance came over him, Darren blinked over at where Tora stared glowering furiously at them, and back to give a smile to Miru. "He sure seems very overprotective of you."

Miru laughed, refusing to give in to the inclination to look at Tora over her shoulder, even if she could feel him staring at her at the back of her neck. "He is. But he has good reason to. Thanks Darren, you're a good friends."

"Make sure he takes care of you. If you ever need someone, I'm a ring away."

"Of course."

With a smile and a nod, she turned on her heel to walk back. Tora pulled her into his arms the moment she was within arms length, pressing a kiss on the top of her head. "What did the ass want?"

"Be nice, would you? He's been a good friend to me." Miru scolded gently, scowling at him as they fell in step next to each other towards the subway station. Her eyes quickly spied the takeway bag Tora held, and she looked at him questioningly. He looked, and smiled like a small boy who had managed to finish all tasks given to him for the day.

"Bought some fish and chips and drinks. Was going to see if you want some supper?" he grinned goofily. Miru raised a brow, but couldn't resist the laughter that bubbled. She instinctively stood on her tip toes to press a chaste kiss to his cheek, her heart suddenly glowing with the amount of affection she felt for the currently very self-satisfied looking Tora. He was aloof, often arrogant, and people often thought him to be a playboy at heart, and only speaking to those who would benefit him.

But Miru left them to that. She was happy she got _this_ version of Tora. The one who was childishly eager to please her, overly protective of her well being, and impossibly capable of whatever he set his mind to. _Her_ Tora.

"I would love some."


	14. Chapter 14

Dressed in a loose denim shirt and black skinnies, Miru's black locks framed her cautious blue eyes as she made her way into the first-class cabin. Tora's body had shielded her from getting jostled as they entered, and her other half had more or less snarled when a large-sized male accidentally bumped into her. It probably would have escalated as well, had Miru not quickly laid an arm on his hand and muttered a quick apology to the Caucasian.

After pushing her small carry-on into the overhead compartment for her, he motioned for Miru to get into the seat by the window, before he took the seat next to her, grinning as she shifted in her seat. "Its a 12 hour flight, so get comfortable."

She smiled at his childish grin, but couldn't help the worried look on her face as she looked out the window at the snow falling around the airport. Christmas was coming. She had spent her first Christmas in London in the hospital with her mother. While the nurses were friendly, nothing could really get rid of the way a hospital felt sterile and cold. The second Christmas was spent at work, at an assignment that was overdue. Miru had missed out on working on it from the amount of work she had had just the week before.

Now, the idea of celebrating Christmas back in Japan felt foreign. Hanazawa Jin had never made a big deal of the holiday before. He had always dragged Miru and her sister to attend some dinner or other, always for the same reason. How was Riyo? She never dared to reach out to her sister during her 2 years in London, fearing the repercussion Riyo might face if their father realized they were communicating.

"Sweetheart?"

Tora voice drew her attention back to him, and she immediately noticed the concerned look in his eyes. As the engines of the machine whirred, she shook her head gently, a soft smile playing around her lips. "Just... thinking. Have you... heard from my sister before this?"

"Riyo?" Tora asked, in surprise. He knitted his brows, digging his memory for information. In honest truth, he had been too wrapped up in his studies and the need to somehow prove himself capable of bringing Miru back to his side and protecting her from her father's wrath, to notice much else happening. But it was hard to _not_ get news so long as you were one of Tokyo's socialites. "Last I heard, Hanazawa Jin had threw a lavish wedding for her, her groom was... Okanishi Isamu, I believe, of Okanishi Financial Services."

"The bank in collaboration with Misubishi UFJ Financial and Sumimoto Mitsui Financial?" Miru replied, her eyes widening in shock. It came as a surprise to learn that her sister was now married to the heir or possibly CEO of the third largest financial corporate in Japan. "Wait," she furrowed her brows. "Isn't Okanishi Isamu at least in his mid-forties?"

Tora winced, and Miru scowled. The idea that her sister was married to someone twice her age did not sit well with her. Within that anger, came a tad bit of guilt as well, that she had left Riyo to face all of that mess alone. Tora was quick to note the change in his girlfriend's mood, and collected her fingers in his, squeezing them in his grip. "I'll look for her so you two can meet once we get back, alright?" he offered, feeling the plane begin it's move. Miru turned, and for the tenth time wondered, as she nodded gratefully, just how misunderstood Igarashi Tora can be to the world. He always managed to know exactly what she wanted, and what to do to make her feel better.

* * *

Haneda Airport at the crack of dawn seemed mildly more peaceful compared to the busy Heathrow Airport they had just left. Not much has changed, at least not in Miru's eyes. Walking towards the first-class exit with her fingers entwined together with Tora's however, she saw the airport from a whole new different perspective. While she had been the daughter of the powerful Hanazawa Jin, her father had never brought her overseas. Once Miru's identity as his daughter was known, he couldn't risk them noticing, once she passes customs, that she held a British passport. So whenever he was overseas with Riyo, Miru was left alone in the mansion which was often made to look as if it was closed.

Perhaps his intention had been to scare her, but Miru always looked upon those times fondly. It was the few times her mother and her could wander freely among the corridors of the Hanazawa Mansion, and Cheryl Hamilton had laughed freely, looked less sickly.

As the crisp Japanese gust tousled her dark locks, and the familiar scent of the country she had spent at least a decade in greeted her, a smile curled her lips upwards. Miru had adjusted to life in London, of course she did. But Japan held as much good memories as it did bad. As she watched Tora next to her, smiling as he felt her gaze upon him and looked down to grin at her, Miru's heart filled a little with gratitude. _I could never dislike Japan. It allowed me to meet him_. It was dangerous, that much she knew. It was giving her father a leverage over her, someone to use, something she thought she would never do again after her mother's passing. Cheryl Hamilton's death, while sad, also ensured that Miru always fought for her own desire. Her biggest weakness had always been her need to protect others.

 _But he can protect himself,_ she reminded herself internally. Sometime in between sharing fish and chips, duck-watching on the Thames River and taking the tube back to her apartment, Miru had forgotten just how powerful Tora was, and how influential the Igarashi name was back in Japan.

Yet within minutes of them stepping foot out of the airport, she was swiftly reminded, as a dozen butlers, footmen and maids ran up to them. A limousine, long and sleek stood waiting. Their bags were quickly whisked away, jackets peeled off. Within seconds, Miru found herself curled up by Tora's side in a warm, perfectly heated backseat of the limousine, their bags safely stowed away and the black, bullet-proof windows wound up before the vehicle lurched into movement. Tora grinned down at her, noting with amusement, her surprised look.

"No longer used to this treatment, princess?" he teased.

Miru flushed, and scowled at him. "No. It's just that... Its not that I got this sort of treatment. It's usually my father. Onee-chan and I got it because we so happened to be going in the same direction, usually."

Tora's heart clenched, when he saw the faint flash of the pented up Miru he often saw 2 years back. Unable to help himself, he wound an arm around her waist, as the countryside melted into suburban areas. "Don't you worry sweetheart, you'll have this treatment for as long as you want it."

Panic shone in her eyes. "No! I don't mean- That is, I didn't want you to-" Nerves made her speak twice as fast, and Tora tried and failed to muffle his laughter.

"Relax, Miru-chan. I was teasing." Well, he was only half. He meant it when he said his Miru was going to be treated as a princess, but if she didn't want it... well, so long as no one harmed a hair on her head, bones would remain unbroken.

Watching as the slight girl settled by the windowseat to take in the scenery of the Japan she had left two years back, Tora pulled out the phone he had silent despite it being turned on, getting to work replying numerous emails and messages that had came in the moment he had touched down on Japanese soil. Sometimes, he really cursed the fact that his old man had happily dumped the business on his shoulders six months ago the moment his results had came out from his final exam. The elder Igarashi was now probably off on some island happily playing golf with some cocktail or other, while his only son slaved away at the business.

Yet at other times when he saw business deals falling in place, the smooth running of the corporation, he couldn't help but feel that twinge of satisfaction. And all because of that girl he sat next to. Tora couldn't help the way his gaze slid over to Miru's thoughtful figure gazing out the window, as his thoughts ran. Miru reminded him of all he was capable of, and all he could do if he only focused and set his mind on it. Miru's drive to make a life for herself, to be better, had made him now relish the taste of success, of how it feels like to achieve something from hard work.

"I love you." he murmured, below his breathe. He knew his Miru. She would shy like a deer if he told her that now. So he had something to do first. Her love? He knows he'll get it. Just because Tora worked hard now, didn't meant that he lost any of his swagger. He knew he had Miru Hamilton's love. He was willing to wait for her to admit it to herself.

* * *

Miru had thought she would never see herself within such circles again. Yet here she was.

Within the domed halls of the Shangri-La Ballroom, the marbled floors were filled with people. Chatter filled the air, yet half of these people, Miru didn't know. 2 years didn't change many, but what prevented her from identifying any of them, was the fact that 90% of them now wore masks. A masquerade charity ball was thrown that Tora had all but strong-armed her into coming along with him as his date. He had pleaded and cajoled, but what had bought Miru over was the pair of puppy-dog eyes she never could seem to resist from her boyfriend. So despite her having only returned to Japan for all of three days, she found herself right where she felt most uncomfortable.

"What time is it?" she asked him, for what must have been the hundredth time. He had promised her they would leave before midnight. Suddenly, Miru found herself envying Cinderella.

Beside her, Tora chuckled beneath his gold trimmed, black mask. It made him look dashing, that much the blue-eyed mixed girl would admit. When Tora had first stepped into her view in his black body hugging shirt and gold tie, she was already at a loss for words. It only made matters worst when he had shrugged on his gold trimmed blazer, folded his white sleeves over the edges before turning around to flash a grin at her. Miru was still contemplating if she wanted to swoon or just pointedly look away.

"It's almost eleven, my more hour. Patience."

"I don't get how are you even managing to do anything with me around. Haven't people asked?" she murmured, her arm safely tucked in the crook of his elbow where it had been all night.

"Not one question." he replied chirpily, steering her to the side of the ballroom. "But believe me, whispers are everywhere. After all, this is the first time Igarashi Tora, the most elusive bachelor of the Tokyo socialite scene had been seen at a function with a date in over three years."

Miru blinked, suddenly unable to process his words. "The first time?" she echoed. He hadn't dated at all in the years she had been gone... and more?

He raised a brow at her, as if in disbelief. "Did you honestly think I would want for anyone else after I've met you, Miss Hamilton?" It warmed Miru's heart that he always referred to her with her mother's last name, as if he too, eschewed Hanazawa Jin as much as she did. But how could he not. If he had the chance, he would've turned back time and gave the elder man a piece of his mind, yet his investigations had shown that Hanazawa Jin had passed much of the reins of the business to his son-in-law, and took a step back out of the spotlight.

Hearing his words, Miru flushed again, but her fingers tightened around his arm. As much as Miru had touted her love for London and her need to pursue her studies, everyday she spent in Japan, she found herself more and more reluctant to return to London.

Not paying attention to where Tora was leading her as she stared at the toes of the black pumps she wore to compliment her blood red gown, Miru would've stumbled and fell, had Tora not steadied her by her waist. Miru looked up in surprise to him, but her words were stolen away when she saw a gentle light in his eyes, quite unlike his usual teasing ones, or loving ones. No, these were more cautious, as he brushed his fingers against hers, and then nodded towards his right.

Following his movements, Miru looked, and gasped in surprise. While she looked older, with a pair of tired eyes and a young child in her arms, there was no mistaking her one sibling Miru had grown up with. "Onee-chan!" the girl moved forward, wanting to hug her, but held herself back at the last minute when she suddenly remembered the young child Riyo cradled in her arms. For the first time, she noticed that they were now in a closed room, and the only other person in attendance other then the both of them and Tora, was a gentleman that was perhaps just a couple of years older then Riyo, definitely not as elegantly dressed in finery as the other members of the socialite scene, but neatly trussed up in a simple black tux.

"Is this...?" Miru trailed off, unsure of how to phrase her question. But Riyo always seemed to know what her little sister had in mind. She smiled gently, and nodded, her eyes turning tender as they looked upon the sleeping child trussed up in white.

"This is your niece, Okanishi Akari. We call her Kari." Riyo explained, "She's about to turn a year old in just two weeks time. There'll be a huge party, my husband dictates it for his eldest daughter." Miru noted the mild note of amusement in her voice, and couldn't help but ask.

"Your... husband. Are you... happy, onee-chan?" she asked.

At the question, her sister paused, her features turning into one of contemplation. "Well, in a way, I guess so. Isamu-san is... courteous, polite. He treats me well as his wife, so long as I perform my wifely duties." Miru winced at the choice of words her sister used.

"Wifely duties?" she echoed, almost fearing her sisters answers.

Riyo was quick to allay her worries however, quickly passing her sleeping daughter to the waiting male, and moving forward to embrace Miru, one which Miru gladly returned. "No,don't think such a way. Isamu-san is nice, but he is at an age where relationships matter less to him then his business and his employees. The least I can do is be grateful that otou-san didn't choose someone cruel." Riyo paused, and then flushed, and it was only then that Miru looked up and realized how at ease the dressed male looked holding the sleeping girl.

"Onee-chan, who is this?" she asked, curiously.

"This is Eiji, Hidero Eiji. He is my personal bodyguard, assigned to me by Isamu-san just three months after we got married. Eiji-kun-"

"Kun?" Miru echoed much to her surprise. She rarely heard her sister address anyone in such familiarity.

"Miru-san, I have heard much about you from your sister, and I'm proud to finally have the chance to meet you. However, I must implore of you to not speak if your sister and your connection outside of this room. Okanishi-sama would be extremely unhappy should he hear of how you met Riyo-chan, and I-"

Tora stepped in, holding up a palm for Eiji to stop speaking. Moving forward, he took Miru by her shoulders, pressing a kiss to the top of her head and whispering. "I think you can see how your sister is now, can't you princess? She's well taken care of."

And Miru did. She was no blind idiot. She saw the familiar way in which her sister picked her daughter up from the arms of her bodyguard, the look they exchanged. And Miru found herself immensely happy for Riyo. "Can we at least see each other again after this?"

"Perhaps, Miru-chan. And we can send messages. But until otou-san no longer has reins on Isamu-san's business intertwined with Hanazawa Inc's, we... should not meet. But do not misunderstand me, Miru-chan. I have missed you." Riyo earnestly said. Miru nodded, giving a watery she knew her sister's shaky predicament, and would not want to put Riyo in a difficult situation. So she took a long look at her sister and her niece, and stepped back, letting Tora's chest press against her back.

"I'll miss you, onee-chan. And I'll definitely message you. Do... I hope I can meet Kari-chan once she's grown up a little." she murmured.

"And one last thing, Okanishi-san." Tora piped up, as Eiji began to move Riyo and Akari out of the room. They paused, her eyes looking to Tora's. "Do warn your father that your sister would be surfacing again in Japan, but let him know that all I need is for him to acknowledge her presence. No more then that. If he does anything that threathen's Miru's reputation... he will not like the consequences."

Riyo nodded, and the next thing they knew, the bodyguard had shuffled both mother and daughter out of the small room. With the click of the door, Miru took a deep breathe, and turned to glare at Tora. "What was that about, Igarashi? What do you mean by I'll surface in Japan soon? My ticket is due to depart in four days!"

"I said soon, I didn't say _how_ soon, Miru." he paused, and then grinned. "What do you think I can pull off in four days?"

Suddenly, Miru flushed. Plenty of ideas had flashed in her head, none of which she intended to share with Tora. But the Igarashi heir was insistent, and when Miru didn't say a word, he hauled her against his chest, knocking her mask off along with his. Tora flashed a mischievous grin when he noticed Miru intentionally averting her gaze from him, a sure sign he knew from his girlfriend that her thoughts was something he would like very much.

"Are you sure you don't want to tell me, Miru Hamilton? You know I can drag it out from you." Tora muttered confidently. Before Miru could protest, he had closed his lips on the spot where her neck met her shoulders, kissing all the way up till Miru felt shivers from her spine. She wriggled in his arms in protest, but that only elicited a growl from Tora, a sure sign he would continue.

"Alright! Stop! I just- I-" he paused, and looked up, eagerly awaiting her to continue. Miru flushed, a shade of red he could see even in he dim lighting of the Shangri-La room Tora had rented for the night. "I..." the rest of her words were lost as she muttered them in a flash.

"What? I couldn't hear you." he grinned cheekily, leaning in closer to press his ear against her lips. But her words caught him by surprise.

"I thought you meant to marry me."

Tora blinked, and leaned back. But his loss of words was seemingly enough to yank the world from under Miru's feet, as she stared at his widened eyes, and felt her chest crush when he made no response. "It was stupid and I think too much and I know it's crazy," she began rambling, pushing against his chest to get away. "You're busy and I still have to return to London and-"

Her words were cut off when his lips caught hers in a kiss so searing, it got her toes curling. He kissed her as if he needed her for life itself, and when he finally broke away, both their pants filled the space in between them. Tora leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes so brightly lit, Miru was sure she never needed a light again, as long as she had him next to her.

"I would marry you in a heartbeat, love, if only you would let me."

"Love?" she echoed.

He chuckled. "Of everything I said, you _had_ to pick on that one." Tora muttered, running a hand through his already mussed up hair. "yes, I love you, or was it not obvious enough already? I did wait two years for you."

"Well, that much is true." Miru managed to reply, when her heart was bursting with joy inside. "What makes you think I won't let you?"

"Your deuced studies. You still have... what three years to go?"

She nodded, a burgeoning feeling filling her chest again. Tora recognized that look, and quickly tipped her chin so her blue eyes looked into his again. "Look, we've waited for two years, what's another three more. I'll... I'll fly over as often as I can. And you come back here during your holidays. Can we do that? And the day you graduate is the day I call you my wife. No longer then that, because that's as long as I can wait, I think. What do you think?"

"I think.." Miru's gaze blurred as she wound her arms around Tora's neck, the smile on her lips involuntarily widening. "I think that I love you, very, very much myself."

* * *

And thats the end! I do apologize for taking so long to finish the story, but I realize Tora and Miru have a special place in my heart! Tora was so underplayed and misunderstand (to me anyway) in both the anime and manga that I couldn't help it! Especially when Misaki is so completely in love with Usui that I couldn't seem to ship them, so it made sense for me for Tora to find his eternal love in someone who would adore him as much as he would her. Besides, anyone who would help Usui the way Tora so secretly helps him, can't be entirely bad! I especially love secret good guys.

Don't worry, it's the END end yet. I do love an epilogue... or two. :P Stay tuned!


	15. Epilogue 1

**3 Years Later**

Spring in London had always been a welcomed season. A usually dreary, gray and wet city, the onset of spring brings with it warmer winds and greener trees. Blue skies and a bright sun meant many often started wearing their shorts, skirts and tank tops, articles of clothing that they often only got to wore 1-2 months out of the year. And considering that mid-May was almost the end of spring, it meant that people were doing their best to make the most out of the remaining days of spring. It was also where most universities and colleges scheduled their graduation, as the bright skies and green backdrop meant the pictures turned out vibrant and happy.

On the fields of the rented hall in which Miru's learning centre had rented to host the graduation centre, people now flocked to their specific loved ones and family. Miru's navy blue pencil skirt was hidden under her black graduation robe, with the white buttoned shirt peeping out of the royal purple rim of the neckline of the robe. Her dark hair was tied up in a ponytail, holding her square-brimmed cap in place. She smiled as she stepped out into the grassy area, and was immediately swept into a resounding hug by a familiar figure.

"We made it, Millie!" Darren's excited voice greeted. The grin he wore was one that was impossible to not respond. Miru laughed at his statement, her blue eyes shining with excitement. Darren had morphed into her best friend over her final 3 years in London, especially when they were rushing for their final year project where they had to finish a 50,000 word novel of their choice of theme and characters, to be given to review by a team of publishers. After many sleepless nights, and the occasional losing of her temper when she hit a writer's block, they had finally submitted their manuscript in just three weeks ago.

"Yes, you did, sweetheart." the familiar warm voice by her side was quickly accompanied by an arm around her waist yanking her against another's chest. Miru would've reacted, had she not recognized the warm voice first. Instead, she looked up with a chastising look at Tora. Three years did nothing to abate his easily jealous nature, but luckily for her, Darren was used to it by now. He had been distant in the first few weeks after she returned from Tokyo, but eventually had warmed up to her again, even getting over his crush to date a few of their classmates. He was currently single still, but merely gave an indulgent and knowing smile when Tora showed up.

"Looks like I'll be leaving first, Millie." Darren winked at Miru, and she chuckled. "Remember the pizza party at Rory's place this weekend!"

Watching as he left, Miru turned in Tora's arms to mock scowl at him. "What did I tell you about manners, Tora? You would think that you'll know Darren's a gentleman by now."

Tora rolled his eyes, but ignored Miru's comment as he dragged her in to press his lips to hers in a quick kiss. "Congratulations, princess. On your graduation _and_ not tripping on stage." he teased. Miru rarely wore heels, but her short height required her to don five-inch heels so her robe would not sweep the stage floor as she walked, and it had not been a very calm situation for her.

"Now I just have to return these heels to Gina." she motioned at her red pumps, and then back at Tora, raising a brow. "What, no flowers, teddies, or even a present for me?" While it may sound pretentious to others, Miru's tone was one of genuine surprise. Over the course of the three years they had done the whole long-distance relationship, Tora never failed to appear with gifts everytime he saw her. Half of Miru's clothes in her wardrobe was from him, and that's not even counting the amount of flowers and chocolates, so much so that Miru would not be surprised of Tora told her she had just bought over a cocoa farm and a florist shop just to have enough supply to send to her. Miru knew that compared to LDR's other couples had to go through, they had it easy when the Igarashi family owned a private jet, and Tora himself had the flexibility of being a CEO to come and visit her, but it still hadn't been entirely easy.

For Tora, he would be highly frustrated when he had numerous meetings lined up and no way to visit her, especially when he desperately missed her in the late nights. Miru would also be tied up with her schoolwork and job often enough that they would occasionally miss the times to call each other. And even when they could visit, the jetlag would catch up that when Miru was in Tokyo for a week, she spent the first two days sleeping.

So it was frustrating, to say the least, and Tora of all people, was glad that his girlfriend was finally graduating.

With a sly smile, Tora slipped an arm around her waist, caressing her sides. "Not... really. I do have one, but I shouldn't be giving it to you here."

Miru's brows rose at his cryptic words. "What do you mean?"

"C'mon, lets return those robes. We've got somewhere to be."

With his fingers firmly around her wrist, Miru was left with little choice but to follow as Tora started more or less dragging her through the people, quickly depositing her graduation robe and cap, before they jumped into the Bentley that Tora had bought the second time he had visited Miru after she came back to London, citing that he hated having to hail cabs. As the door closed, Miru ran a hand through her wind-tousled hair, breathelessly looking at Tora in confusion, seeking answers. "Where are we going, Tora? You're not being clear at all. Are you planning on selling my organs? Does the Igarashi Corporation need extra funds?" she teased with a laugh.

Tora rolled his eyes, shaking his head wryly at Miru's wild accusations. He had everything planned in his head, and right in the passenger seat where Miru's gaze would not reach, was a stack of documents needed to complete what he wanted, as long as Miru continued being seated. "Do you really think that?" he asked, attempting to delay answering her. Luckily for him, the office he wanted to head to wasn't that far.

She feigned a thoughtful look, and raised a brow at him. "I don't know," she replied with a shrug. "That depends on the straits of your financial situation."

Tora finally laughed, watching as the car pulled into a street he recognized, and the driver killed the engine. Leaning forward, he pressed another searing kiss to her lips, grinning when he pulled back and saw the dazed look in her blue eyes. "C'mon sweetheart, let's get going."

Caught off-guard so quickly after his toe-curling kiss, Miru found herself dragged onto cobbled streets of an unknown London street, right opposite a red bricked building with carefully designed windows and pillars. Tora dragged her up a series of steps. The driver quickly ran after them, and as they reached a landing where Tora began to slow down and examine the numbers on each door, she frowned when she noticed the stack of papers the driver had under his arm. "Tora, where are we-"

"Here we go!"

He pushed open a door, and the next thing she knew, Miru found herself in a dingy, silent office whose floor was polished, and the pathway leading up to a desk was carpeted with brown and cream patterned carpet. On either sides of the carpet, were an array of chairs, all arranged facing the official who sat at the desk. Upon their entrance, the white-haired official had looked up, peering over his glasses. "Mr. Igarashi?" he asked, checking the time on his wristwatch.

Tora noddded, motioning for the driver to pass him the documents. Taking Miru's hand, he gently tugged her forward, approaching the desk where Tora proceeded to place the brown folder before the bespectacled elder man. "These are the required documents, I believe." Tora replied, in a more refined tone of English, an accent he had picked up from the numerous visits. "Everything should be in order."

"Tora." Miru hissed, tugging at his sleeve when the official started perusing the files in the folder. Tora looked over, and leaned down so Miru could whisper in his ear. "Where are we?!" she hissed.

He turned, and raised a brow as if in disbelief. "I thought you would catch on by now." he asked. Tora chuckled when he saw Miru's look of aghast and confusion, and wondered for a moment how his beloved could be so dense. "We're at the registration office, princess. You're a British resident, so we'll have to do this here first."

"Do what?" Miru echoed, still not catching on.

Tora heaved a sigh, rolling his eyes and motioning at the words and symbol behind the desk. Miru turned, her eyes catching the words in stainless steel, 'Local Register Office' and under it, in smaller letters, 'Marriages, Births and Deaths.' She paused, and then her eyes widened in disbelief, wordlessly turning back to stare at Tora in mute shock. Chuckling at how she had finally caught on, Tora slipped the hand that wasn't holding hers into his backpocket, and pulled out a ring. Knowing his girlfriend, Tora had not went for the most expensive, biggest one he could find. Instead, quite contrary to his usual extravagant nature, Tora had instead picked out a simple two-toned ring, platinum twined with rose gold, set with a sapphire that matched the color of her eyes. The ring was, in all extents and purposes, gorgeous in Miru's eyes, but then again at that point he could've taken out a ring made with fines and she would've said it was gorgeous.

Still caught off guard, she turned shocked eyes to Tora, who grinned, not waiting for her to say anything. Instead, he gently picked up her wrist, and slid the ring onto her finger, his heart warm and beating so quickly he might have exploded.

"I told you that I wouldn't wait day longer to make you my wife... Igarashi Miru."


	16. Epilogue 2

After a year of being away, Miru's eyes lit up as she pulled back the curtains of the hotel they were staying at, and was greeted with the familiar sight of the gray cobblestoned pathways of London streets. The executive suite in the Four Seasons Hotel of London provided a spectacular view which took Miru's breath away the very first day they had arrived, just two days ago, and she had eagerly pulled open the curtains every morning since, much to Tora's amusement. Watching as his wife opened the windows and took in a breathe of fresh spring air, he wondered again for the tenth time, if she would enjoy it better if they moved back.

Not that they hadn't had the conversation before, but the conclusion they had was that Miru simply couldn't choose. In the end, the couple just travelled wherever Tora's work took him, while Miru worked on her very first book to be published, in between working with the publicity office of the Igarashi Corporation.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay alone?" Tora asked, as he walked up behind Miru and wrapped his arms around her waist, cradling her back against his chest and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Miru looked diagonally at her husband with a grin. It was a question she had heard countless times ever since they had gotten the request from Takumi just a week earlier. His wedding to Misaki was scheduled to take place that morning, just an hour away. They had gotten an official invite, but Miru hadn't bothered packing a dress the moment Tora had read Takumi's message to her, with his highly odd request of bringing a helicopter to his wedding venue, about 30 minutes after the wedding vows were slated to be read. Both Tora and herself had been curious, but didn't ask why, and simply acceded to his wishes. Now though, she found herself curious.

"You always ask why you're doing something. Why didn't you this time?"

Tora grinned. "Well, I guess I should tell you, since it's been three years. I... owe Takumi a huge favor." Miru raised her brow with an unvoiced question, a silent signal for him to continue. "I told Takumi to watch over you when you first got here, back... then. Your apartment, your school fees-"

" _What?!_ "

Tora winced at the screech. He should've known better then to break the news to her _now_ when her hormones were all out of whack. The doctor did warn him.

"You did _what_ Igarashi Tora?" Nope. That did _not_ sound like a happy wife. He gave a sheepish grin, taking a step back to allow Miru the space to whirl around and glare at him, looking quite imposing despite her still dressed in her pink shorts and white tank she wore to bed.

Tora gingerly held up his hands in a posture of defeat. "I was _worried_ , sweetheart. And you were all alone, and you looked _horrible_ as you left the airport. I had promised you I wasn't going to look for you, but I can't just _leave_ you to the wolves so I... asked him for a favor."

Miru scowled, internally grappling with how to deal with such new information. She remembered how odd it felt, to have all the luck fall like leaves on her lap during autumn. Miru had been prepared to face difficulty in funding her new studies, and even getting a place to stay on top of having the funds for her mother's medical fees. To have cheap rental _and_ a scholarship for her within the first month of her moving to London had been a pleasant surprise, but Miru had thought it was finally her turn for good luck after her many years under the thumb of her father in Japan.

Yet while she felt irked, she knew Tora meant well. If anything, the earnest look on his face as he stared at her was enough.

So in the end, she merely crossed her arms and pushed her bottom lip out in a pout, much to her husband's relief. Tora hid a smile when he saw her posture. It was what Miru always did when she was miffed, but not entirely cross with him. It was also an indication that it was safe for Tora to approach. Closing the distance between the two of them with a stride to pull her in his arms, he pressed a kiss to her messy dark locks. "I was worried, sweetheart. Besides, everything else you got of your own accord. I promise, I did not ask Takumi to look for a job for you." Tora would've been happier had she been jobless and sitting at home instead. He had been more then happy to pay for her daily expenses, but he knew that would've been harder for Takumi to make it look like it was by chance, plus he knew Miru wasn't the type to be idle.

Miru huffed without a word. He chuckled, and moved his hands to splay them across her midsection, murmuring as he gently pressed against it. "Don't stay angry, princess. You don't want her to be an angry baby, do you?"

"And why are you so convinced it's a her?" Miru asked with a wry tone, raising a brow at him. Tora chuckled, his wedding ring glinting on his finger as he rubbed her still flat tummy. Tora had been unbearably overprotective ever since they had discovered that Miru was pregnant a week ago. It was another reason why he refused to bring Miru to Takumi's wedding, especially with the plan Takumi had concocted with Maki.

He grinned, speaking with a swagger in his tone. "Because my baby girl wouldn't disappoint her daddy."

Miru laughed. Even after a year of marriage, she found herself still caught off guard by Tora's obvious adoration for her, and had no doubt that he would be a doting father regardless if she now carried a son or a daughter. Unable to resist the smile that curled her lips upwards as Tora bent down to press a kiss to her still-flat belly, she turned to the door of their suite when a knock sounded, and a familiar voice called from the outside.

"Kaichou, we should get going. Takumi's vows are taking place right now."

Lips still brushing her stomach, Tora growled his annoyance, his fingers itching to wrap themselves around more then just his wife's shoulders for now. But he had promised his friend, and he knew Takumi really wanted this getaway he had planned. With how busy Ayuzawa was as a diplomat, and Takumi's amazingly overbearing family, Tora understood where he was coming from. So instead, he bit away his irritation and straightened up. "Give me a minute, Maki. I'll be out." Turning back to Miru, Tora collected her in his arms and pressed a searing kiss that promised more when he returned, smiling with satisfaction as he pulled back and saw her face flushed with delight.

"Be careful. I've put the reception on-call for you. Just call them for anything. I'll be back soon. Don't go in the bathroom if it's wet, get someone to dry it for you first. Call if you're hungry, they wil-"

"I get it, husband. I'll be fine. You're paying Four Seasons a fortune, they'll be able to get me a golden toiletbowl if I ask for it. Just _go_ , Takumi and Misaki-chan are waiting." she nudged him towards the door.

With one last worried look at his wife, he grabbed his coat and headed out where his friend waited with a knowing grin. Closing the door behind him, Maki asked as they hurried down the carpeted hall. "Marriage life agrees with you?"

Tora laughed, as they got to the elevator and he hit the button for the rooftop where a helicopter sat waiting for them. Pulling on his vest and straightening his tie, Tora gave his friend a wink. "Never better."


End file.
